Bhakts and free speech: It's time to step up for your country

Last week I wrote a piece on doing a job that I regret. I did not for a moment think that it would be shared by thousands of people I did not know. I thought a few of my friends would read it and call me a hypocrite.

I was called all sorts of names - "liar", "ignorant", "brown sahib", "Pakistani", "hoax", "Hindu bird on a Muslim tree" and many more things that I would rather not mention – for being concerned about the politics unfolding in this country. Please note, it is also my country. It was quite frightening and I went off social media for a few days.

I don't mind the abuse. I accept people have a right to feel and say what they want. I wish some of these observations made some sense though.

But I really would like to make my stand clear.

I am neither pro- nor anti-BJP, neither am I pro- nor anti-Congress.

I am pro-India. I am pro-people. I am pro-peace. I am pro-democracy. I am pro-progress.

Also, I will not sit around and allow a group of people to hijack my country and dress her up the way they think she should look. They are just a "group" of people and not the country that is much too diverse and nuanced to be encapsulated by the colour saffron. This group’s leader got a clear mandate but that does not give his followers the right to run riot.

Unfortunately, this set of people is determined to cause trouble at various levels.

The "others" are fearful and agitated which is reflected in the mood of the nation. Even the rest of the world has taken note of this unrest. This fear was hidden before the elections but now it’s out in the open.

There are many who will say, “I told you this would happen.” But that is meaningless to me. What I am concerned with is what can be done in this situation. Do we have to accept this kind of blatant propaganda-driven politics? Is this what we chose and now have to live with? I spent a great deal of time last week pondering over these questions. And the answer I came up with was, “Absolutely not”.

We did not vote for this and we will not live with it. One must not forget the Modi wave was helped a great deal by a waning Congress moon that gave the challenger a tsunami-like intensity. But the mandate is not indicative of the fact that the people of this country are supportive of intolerance.

And there is a way to keep this government in check though it wields a lot of power.

One needs to closely observe what’s been happening with the Dadri and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) situations over the last few weeks. The reaction of the so-called "common" man has put a wrench in ugly developments that once in place could have taken years to undo.

The people of this country need to carry on doing what they have been doing, but they must do so consciously. They need to be watchdogs - alert, unyielding and ready to pounce whenever there is a hint of movement in the bushes. It's a tough job. Being a watchdog takes commitment and dedication.

People have to be on their guard constantly. Every time the government strays from its development and governance agenda, every time an institution is under threat, every time a community is threatened, people, especially those from the educated middle class, need to rise up.

Giving back awards, writing, protesting - these are the tools that can keep our government in control.

And in today’s age a single voice is heard so loudly on the internet that the echoes reach the ears of those that need to listen and back down.

This government came to power using this medium and I think this very medium can be used to ensure that it is kept in check. Does anyone care for poetic justice?

We constantly need to let the government know how we feel, that we are angry and worried. The prime minister reaches out to Indians through his social media handles and tells us how he’s feeling and what he’s doing. So let us reverse that and tell him how India is feeling. We can use it as a platform. It’s a powerful one. It would be silly not to exploit the thing the BJP government considers its strongest communication mechanism.

Unknowingly, this country is already doing exactly this. Senior journalist and a man I admire for his gumption, Rajdeep Sardesai, has been effectively playing watchdog over the past few months. He speaks up against injustices and divisive political movement without vitriol but gets his point across.

One needs to keep in mind that being abusive or antagonistic is not the way to go. The chances of the trolls winning in that department are too high.

Actor Farhan Akhtar's Facebook post on Dadri is another example of such a citizen voice. But we can’t wait for celebrities to speak up. Every person has a voice and every voice adds to the message that India is not willing to become a Hindutva state.

The people of India have a tough ride ahead. People have to be united, something which we don’t do easily as history has witnessed. We’ve been a country of mercenaries and traitors.

We have to help our neighbours and be ready to act when they are threatened. The “common man” is not common any more. He needs to transform quickly into the “thinking and acting man”.

Besides, I don't even understand who wants a Hindu state. Our multitude of communities are both accepting and tolerant of differences.

I am sure the "followers" or "bhakts" too want jobs and decent roads and economic stability more than an intolerant country.

Mr Modi, could you please just keep your eye on the ball and get these things done as you said you would in 1,787 different rallies (including the hologram ones).

And please tell your Hindutva brigade to calm down (once will not do) because this country may have not had a choice when they voted because of the dismal performance of the earlier government, but it definitely has the choice of not allowing the country to lose three colours of its flag – the green, blue and white.