Why Mohan Bhagwat is right about 'Bharat Mata ki jai'

"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."  These words of renowned thinker Noam Chomsky define the very idea of liberal democracy.

A true democracy gives you the right to dissent and the freedom to express, no matter what "ism" you believe in. Otherwise, society would be forced to march towards a kingdom of tight-lipped creatures where only the powerful speak. History is a reminder that inclusivity holds the key for any society to cultivate a better political eco-system.

Freedom of expression forms the crux of a healthy democracy. Forcing the citizens of a country to do something is unfruitful and contemptible. It won’t yield any positive outcome, and the climax would be disastrous.

Also read: Problem is not mouthing 'Bharat Mata ki jai', it is RSS

In these times when the political Right and Left are engaged in high-voltage irrational debates on nationalism, the idea of Bharat needs to be interpreted in its genuine form. It is, indeed, not in tune with the ideology of those political hooligans who have been engaged in terrorising people to chant "Bharat Mata ki jai". It is just a futile exercise to get an edge over their political rivals by igniting emotions of the common Indian.

This is not Hitler’s Germany or Stalin’s Russia. Neither Mao’s China nor Jinnah’s Pakistan. India has always been a free society since time immemorial, and Mother India is a symbol of that free India. Chanting "Bharat Mata ki jai" doesn’t give anyone the right to forcefully shut the mouth of their political foes.

It is in this context I think that the statement made by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat is completely right. It has to be taken in a constructive manner. You can love or hate Bhagwat, but, as the head of one of the most powerful and influential organisations in the country, his statements do have an impact on Indian society in one way or other.

Also read: Why 'Bharat Mata ki jai' is not a chant for feminists

"We have to create so great an India that people will themselves say Bharat Mata ki jai. We don’t need to force it on anybody. We have to give direction to the world with our life. There is no need to force our system and thoughts on anyone; there should be a desire to consider the whole world as ours," The Indian Express quoted Bhagwat as saying. This belated yet welcome step by the patriarch of the Sangh sheds light on the true character of India.

Provocative statements from some BJP leaders on forced nationalism are in complete contrast to the basic ideology of its parent organisation. RSS must be more aware of the fundamental rights and freedom of expression than any other political outfit in the country. The Sangh always claims that it was the organisation that saved Indian democracy when the autocratic Indira Gandhi imposed her despotic rule in 1975 to script a dark episode in the history of independent India.

Also read: Dude, isn't Bharat Mata actually a guy?

The RSS platform during the Emergency period had only one plank: bringing democracy back to India - this is what the Sangh used to teach its cadres. Issuing Taliban-like statements by the leaders of Sangh Parivar outfits, including the BJP, have caused damage to the RSS. These statements have also hurt the RSS's credentials as an organisation which fought to restore the democratic machinery in India.

If our political parties believe in the idea of India, then they must fight to preserve her as a free country. As Salman Rushdie said, "two things form the bedrock of any open society - freedom of expression and rule of law. If you don't have those things, you don't have a free country."