More patriotism is what we need

Patriotic songs do more than just inform us that our country is the most amazing country ever to have existed. File pic

A little over a decade ago, when I began writing this column, the big issue being debated on television and in newspapers was whether the national anthem should be played before every film or not. A lot of people got into arguments at movie theatres at the time, a few who refused to stand were assaulted, and the debate continued for a few months before eventually petering out. There was also a lot of righteous anger expressed by news anchors about how it was important for every Indian to express love for their country at every available opportunity.

To see the same noise being generated around another patriotic song is heartening, because it makes me feel as if nothing has really changed in India, despite what may be happening in the rest of the world. Our consistency as a nation is inspiring. This time around, the issue is about Vande Mataram and whether the full text is to be sung or not. Apparently, it is now a sin to skip a few stanzas, and it is this specific issue upon which elections will be fought in many states this year.

If I am being honest (and I always am while writing this column), this position adopted by the government has moved me greatly. It has served to remind me that India is being managed by people who have their stout fingers firmly on the nation's pulse and know exactly what Indians are most worried about. They are aware that millions of young people today - those who are graduating as well as those who have managed to sit for an exam without the disruption of a leak - are lying awake in bed, night after night, wondering about whether they love their country enough.

There is nothing more important in India today than the need to be patriotic. I have no doubt that young people who are compelled to stand during the national anthem and sing Vande Mataram at least once or twice a day will be more equipped to face the challenges of modern life than any of their contemporaries in the West. It is also why news of a nationwide campaign to spread the history, meaning, and national significance of Vande Mataram across the country makes me happy.

This is a fairly difficult time for a majority of Indians, even if our newspapers and news channels don't seem to believe that. Millions are struggling to figure out where their next meal will come from, and I believe the only way to fight this despair is to remind ourselves of how our ancestors didn't worry as much. Patriotic songs do more than just inform us that our country is the most amazing country ever to have existed. They prevent our minds from drifting towards unimportant things. If young Indians are more patriotic, they can stop thinking about employment. If poor Indians are more patriotic, they can stop thinking about food. And if the rich start to be more patriotic, they will stop thinking about why countries with a lower GDP offer their citizens better roads.

I would go so far as to urge the government to spend more time and money on introducing newer patriotic songs and making them part of everyday life. Why sing the national anthem only before a film screening when it can be done before every meal is served at any restaurant? Why sing Vande Mataram only on national and official state occasions, when it can be sung at the start of each day in every educational institution and corporate workspace? What stops the government from making it mandatory for everyone to sing six stanzas before entering a railway station? The possibilities are endless, and I look forward to a more proactive approach from our politicians on this front in the months to come.

It sometimes saddens me that residents of countries bordering India will never know what true patriotism really means. Take China, for instance, which has been obsessing over renewable and non-fossil energy that now accounts for over 62 per cent of its total installed power capacity. Or Sri Lanka, which has been reclassified as an upper-middle-income country by the World Bank. Or Taiwan, which is spending all its time producing 90 per cent of the world's most advanced logic chips. It often saddens me that none of these countries appear to be managed by politicians who genuinely care about the well-being of their people. I hope Indians living in India finally understand just how lucky they really are.

When he isn't ranting about all things Mumbai, Lindsay Pereira can be almost sweet. He can be contacted at www.lindsaypereira.com
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