Dheeraj Kalgutkar

  It took the British around 100 years to fully conquer India. And by India, I mean British India consisting of Myanmar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and present-day India. And in this, they were helped and aided by all sorts of Indian kingdoms and people. Rajputs and Marathas were major forces that helped the British conquer the most difficult of kingdoms. For instance, Tipu Sultan who defeated the British in two battles was defeated and killed by the British army in the fourth Anglo-Mysore war with the help of Marathas and Nizam of Hyderabad. Otherwise, the British couldn't defeat Tipu who had by then defeated their general who had defeated Napoleon in battle. The last battle was full of ironies, I mean, ironical considering the politics of today. For instance, Maratha Peshwas, in whom today’s Hindutva-nationalists take pride were collaborating with the British, Scindias of Gwalior too supported the British while a Mughal fought against the British. This is not to say one is...

“ Now the time has come when we have to tell the new generation to chant ' Bharat Mata Ki Jai' . It should be real, spontaneous and part of all-round development of the youth,” said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat earlier this month. And as if there was some understanding between the two, Owaisi, the MP from Hyderabad and leader of MIM responded by saying “You can hold a knife to my throat but I will not say ' Bharat Mata Ki Jai' ...it is not written in the constitution.” Thus born another meaningless discussion on nationalism. Then came responses of others. Javed Akhtar in his farewell speech in Rajya Sabha took jibe at Owaisi calling him only a  mohalla  leader from Hyderabad and chanting ' Bharat Mata Ki Jai'  several times calling it his right to say so. Did anyone told Javed Saab that it wasn't? Nobody knows. Then jumped the Shiv Sena with its editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna saying, it is not a right but a duty which must be made mandatory; further, a...