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THE OP-ED PAGETheIndianEXPRESSwww.indianexpress.com

13l WEDNESDAY l FEBRUARY 13 l 2013

ASHUTOSH VARSHNEY haswritten eloquently in these pagesthatGujarat ChiefMinisterNaren-draModis thirdconsecutiveelec-tionvictory andhis potentialascen-danceto a role innationalpoliticschallenges the so-called idea ofIndia (Modi needs a Vajpayee,IE, December 25, 2012). A greatdebate is brewing in this context.What is the idea of India? Shouldcertain groups have special rightsoverand abovethe individualrights

thatallcitizensenjoyinafree,dem-ocraticIndia?This is a fundamental schism

inpolitical philosophy.While manyintellectuals have long argued forthe primacy of group rights overindividualrights, andthe protec-tion of minority interests, thereneedsto bebroaderdiscussion onhowthismindsetmightatrophyin-dividualidentity.

An identity-based minoritygrouprightcanbroadlybeof twotypes. Itcan eithergive thegroupsmembers more liberty or enforcemorerestrictions.WillKymlicka,aleadingproponentof multicultural-ism, has developed a similar clas-sification he supports the for-mer, terming them externalprotections,andislessenthusias-ticaboutthelatter,whichhechris-tens internal restrictions. But

even external protections can beproblematic. Examples of suchprotectionsin Indiaincludeallow-ing members of certain groups tohave multiple spouses, or provid-ing for special autonomy ineducation. The question, then, is

why not extend this greater lib-ertyto allcitizens?If therationalefornotdoingsoisthatpolygamyissociallyharmful,or thatregulationof educational institutions isneeded, then why be condesc-endinglydetrimental towardssuchminoritygroups?

Enforcingmorerestrictionslike restricting alimony or adop-tionsisworse,asitforcesindivid-uals tochoosebetweenthestatesdefinition of their faith or officialapostasy.As VrindaNarain arguesinGenderandCommunity:Muslim

WomensRights in India, thisdis-crimination dictates a system ofdifferential citizenship based onascriptive belonging.

Theprevailingintellectualcon-sensusthataffordsspecialrightstominority groups manufacturesresentment in the majority com-munity. This consensus offers nocommentonrealitieslikestatecon-trolof Hinduplaces ofworship.Itcorrectlybrandsas communalanassertion of majority group rightsthatmanifests itselfin episodeslikethebanningofbeeforbanningvol-untaryconversions,whiletacitly ac-cepting similar rights for minori-tiesinthenameofprotection.Isthissecularism?

Thisdoublestandardisprinci-pallyilliberal.Labellingthoseask-ingforindividualrightsovergroup

rights as radical liberals or ex-tremist troglodytes, while claim-

ingoneselftobeamoderatelib-eral,maybean effectiverhetorical

stratagem,butit isa speciousargu-ment.Moreover,thereis evidenceto suggest that such a standard

worsens communal relations StevenIanWilkinsonof YaleUni-

versity has shown that increasingconsociationalismin Indiahas ledtorisingethnicviolence.

Thetacitthrustof thepropaga-torsof thismindset istowardsre-distribution from the majority tothe minority to ameliorate dis-crimination, while ignoring thatidentity rights pander to conser-

vativeelementsthatkeep commu-nities backward in the first place.Moreover, Nobel laureate econ-omistGaryBeckerhasshownthatinmarket economies, discrimina-tionhurtseventhosewhoindulgein it, not just those who are dis-criminatedagainst.It followsthat

in a non-market system, it makeseconomic sense to indulge in dis-crimination.InIndia,it israre thatthose who bat for secularismcomeoutin strongsupportofeco-nomicliberalisation.

It dawned on Marxists by the1950s that workers wanted to en-gagewithand possi-bly reform capital-ism from within andnot overthrow it al-together. In such ascenario,theoristsoftheNew Leftstartedscouting for virginproletariats, basedmoreonculturethanclass. Herbert Mar-cuseof theFrankfurtSchool was one ofthose who bridgedMarx wit h hi s

understandingof Ni-etzsche and others,playingup thenon-integrated forces ofminorities, outsidersand radical intelli-gentsiain hisbook,One-Dimensional

Man . Integrationwould mean capitu-lationtotheendofhistory. This fur-thered the scholar-shipon thecompat-ibility of liberalism

and group rights in left-leaningacademia.

Left-liberals complain thatradicalliberalsignorethe realityof individuals existing in a worldbased on social intercourse. Thismisrepresentation ignoresthe fun-damental difference between thestateand society,betweencoercionandchoice. Indeed,ThomasPaine,

Alexis de Tocqueville, MohandasGandhiand DeendayalUpadhyay

have argued along these lines aswell.As JanNarvesonwrites,only

individuals can make decisions,have values, engage in reasoningand deliberation.

Inourcountrywherenewideasarein shortsupply,such meta-ideo-logicalwaltzingis rare.Our left-lib-eralsassistthestatein slowing In-dias natural evolution from adiscretesaladbowlto acomposite,dynamicmeltingpot,lestwhattheythinkofasthe antediluvian,regres-sive right obtain political power.The reasoning goes that majoritycommunalism is a bigger threatthanminority communalism,par-tiallybecauseof theformersconfla-tion with nationalism. This is notan invalid point, but many of themainstreamrights controversialdemandsforauniformcivilcodeand repeal of Article 370, for ex-amplearenotcommunal,but

liberal and nationalist. TheSupreme Courtand the Constitu-tion call for a uniform civil code.Similarly, proscrib-ingtheautonomyofindividuals to selltheir lands to resi-dents of other

provinces, in the name of theirprovincesautonomy,alsoviolatesequalityand liberty.

Liberals of all hues shouldadvocateforstrengtheningthelaw-and-ordermachinerysothatnovio-

lence irrespective of its an-tecedents goes unpunished.State welfare programmes shouldbe targeted to those in economicneed, and not bluntly based uponcasteorreligiousidentity.The gov-ernmentalsoshouldnthavediscre-tion on what constitutes offensivespeech,to preventpoliticiansfromfuelling competitiveintolerance.

Whenthestatehas nodiscre-tiontopickcertaingroupsaswin-ners, fraternity is more likely toprevail because socio-economicintercourse, unlikepolitical com-petition, is not a zero-sum game.India needs more liberalism ruleof law,open markets, separa-tionofidentityandstatenotitsleftistperversion.

Guptaisafundmanagerand

writer.Mantri isa venturecapitalistand writer

One versus groupLeft-liberals assist the state in slowing Indiasnatural evolution from a discrete salad bowl

to a composite, dynamic melting pot

BEIJINGS NUKES

UNITEDSTATESPresidentBarackObamas expectedanno-uncementTuesdaynight(atthetimeof goingto press),in hisannual Stateofthe Unionadd-resstothe USCongress, onplanstoreducethe Americannucleararsenaltoabout1,000

weaponsis unlikelyto makea bigimpressionon China.

Beijinghaslongcalledfordrastic,verifiable andirreversiblereductionsof thearsenalsoftheUSandRussia,whichholdmostoftheworldsnuclearweapons.China,however,is unwillingtomakecutsofitsownnucleararsenalatthisstage.Ithasinsistedthatothernuclearweaponstatesshouldjointheprocessofreductionsonlywhenconditionsareripe.

ThisapproachleavesBeijing

muchleewayinrespondingtoObamaslatestnuclearinitiative.ItallowsBeijingtoholdthehighdiplomaticground onsupportingthelong-termgoalofglobalzero,promisingto joinmultilateral talksonnuclearreductionswhenitisconvenient,and leavingroom foritsnuclear weaponmodernisationintheinterim.

Accordingto areportinTheNewYorkTimesearlierthisweek,ObamahasplanstoworkoutaninformalagreementinthenextfewmonthswithPresidentVladimirPutinofRussiatomakedeepercutsintheirnucleararsenals.

UnderatreatycalledNewSTART,whichthe twocountriessignedin 2010,WashingtonandMoscowagreedtobringdowntheirdeployednuclearwarheadsto1,550eachby2018.IfObamacangetPutintoagreethisisbynomeanscertain,giventhecur-

rentlackofwarmthbetweenthetwothetwosidescouldtrimthesizeoftheirbloatednucleararmouriesby athird.

Chinaknowsthatfurthernegotiatednuclear cutsarepossibleonlywhenWashingtonandMoscowsortouttheirdifferencesonmissiledefence,

whichmightyet takesomedoing.LikeMoscow, BeijingalsoopposestheUSdevelopmentofmissiledefences.

Chinaisalsocertainthatfiscalpressurestosignificantlycut

Americandefenceexpenditureareasmuchbehindthelogicofdeepcutsasthetraditionalframe-

workofarmscontrolwithRussia.MuchliketheWestthatsaw

SovietleaderMikhailGorbachevsnucleardisarmamentinitiativesnearlythreedecadesagoasstem-mingfromRussiaseconomic

weakness,ChinacouldinterpretObamasmovesasreflectinglong-termAmericandecline.

ASIANCONCERNSIFCHINAisunconcernedaboutdeepcutsinAmericannuclear

weaponry,someamongitsEastAsianneighboursaredeeplywor-riedaboutthecredibilityofAmer-icasextendeddeterrence.

AmericasAsianallies,espe-ciallyJapanandSouthKorea,chosenottodeveloptheirownnu-clearweapons,onthebetthattheUSnuclearumbrellaworksforthem.DuringtheColdWar,theUSextendeddeterrenceagainsttheSovietthreatseemedcrediblefor Washingtons allies.

Today,amidstthe riseofChinaandits increasing politicalassertiveness, manyinJapanandSouthKoreawonderabout thesustainabilityof USnuclearguaranteesif Washington bringsaboutrapidreductionsinthesizeof itsarsenal.

ManyAmericanarmscon-trollersdismisstheAsianfearsaboutextendeddeterrenceasoverblown.ButforEastAsia,liv-ingthroughahistoricshiftintheregionalbalanceinfavourofChina,deepcutsintheUSnucleararsenalmayreinforcetheir

apprehensionsaboutAmericasabilityto sustainthe regionalbalanceofpower.

DELHIS VIEWINCONTRASTtosomeinEast

Asia,IndiahaseveryreasontowelcomeObamasplanstonego-tiatedeepernuclearcutswithRussia.LikeChina,IndiahasseendeepcutsintheUSandRussianarsenalsasanimportantfirststeponthe roadtowardsnucleardisarmament.

WhenObamacameto IndiainNovember2010,he andPrimeMinisterManmohanSinghreaffirmedtheirsharedcommit-mentto a nuclear-weapon-free

world and called for meaning-fuldialogueamongall statespossessingnuclearweaponstobuildtrustand confidenceandforreducingthe salienceof

nuclearweaponsin interna-tional affairs.

Thisis notverydifferentfromChinascallfor multilat-eralnucleararmscontrolat anappropriatestage.Thediffer-encesareessentiallyabout tim-ingand thelist ofparticipantsandotherconditions.

Yet,thereisno denyingthatIndiasdisarmamentpolicysharesmuch commonground

withthe statedpositions of theUS,France,Russia andChina.ThisisagoodmomentforIndiatoactivelyintervenein theglobalnucleardebate,articulate theprioritiesandseektopromoteanuclearconsensusamong themajorpowers.

Thewriterisadistinguishedfellowat theObserver Research

Foundation,Delhi anda contribut-ingeditorforTheIndianExpress

THETACIT thrust of thepropagatorsof grouprights is towardsredistribution from the

majority to theminority toameliorate discrimination,while ignoringthatidentityrights pander

to conservativeelementsthatkeepcommunities backward in

thefirst place.

HARSHGUPTA & RAJEEV MANTRI

HARSH GUPTA and RajeevMantri admire Narendra Modi.They find my positions on Modiimplausible,butworthengaging.I appreciate the invitation to anintellectual exchange.

Most arguments in supportof Modi tend to be economic.Economicallyspeaking, ModisGujarat isGuangdong-like, im-menselysuccessful and increas-ingly a darling of internationalanddomesticinvestors.It iseasy

to admire Modis economics.The speech at the Shri RamCollegeofCommerceisthe best

spe ech I haveheard on marketsa s a source ofmasswelfarefroman Indian politi-

cian. The UPAs economic re-formers have allowed Modi tosteal thethunderof1991.

To my mind, the unresolvedand contentious issues aboutModi are all political, not eco-

nomic. Unfortunately, isolatedexceptionsaside,it israretofindsupport for Modi embedded inpolitical arguments. Every timeI write a column or express a

viewpoint online, Modis sup-porters respond with commentsthat vastly exceed the bounds ofbasic decency. The relentless

venom knows no embarrass-ment. Does Modi know that hepresides over a mountain ofcrudenessand vulgarityonline?

Partlyinreaction,someofthebest Indian commentators havebegunto compareModissupportbase with that of European fas-cists in the 1930s. European fas-cism also emerged from the

wombofmajoritariandemocracyandfury.My judgementis differ-ent. Modi of 2002 had fascism

writtenall overhispolitics;heap-pears to have evolved. The RSS

and VHP will seek to push himback, but he is astute enough to

know that to rise nationally, heneedstomovebeyond2002.

Gupta and Mantri situatetheir support for Modi in politi-cal arguments, not simply eco-nomic. But basic disagreementsremain.Theyhavemadetheirar-gumentsneedlesslypedantic.Thecore issue can be easily sum-marised.Ourleft-liberals,theysay,assistthe stateinslowingIn-diasnaturalevolutionfroma dis-crete salad bowl to a composite,dynamic melting pot. A saladbowl gives ample political spacetogroupidentities:tomatoes,cu-cumbers, onions can all stay astomatoes,cucumbersand onions,

withoutspoilingthesalad.Amelt-ingpotturnsallingredientsintoasinglewhole.Identitygroupsbe-come undifferentiated individu-

als.NotMuslimIndians,DalitIn-dians or Bengali Indians, simplyIndians. There are three key-

words here: left-liberals, saladbowls,melting pots.

Let us start with left-liber-als. It is a term marked by arapidly disappearing anachro-nism. It described JawaharlalNehrubest.Nehruwaseconomi-callyon theleft, butpoliticallyliberal. Hispromotionof stateplanning, not markets, repre-sented the former; his unflinch-ingfaithindemocracyepitomisedthe latter. Except for a few nos-talgicsoulsin theNationalAdvi-soryCouncil,thosestillmarchingto CPM tunes, those admiring

ArundhatiRoystravelsto Naxallandsanda fewmore, nooneto-day is against markets. My own

positionisthat thepost-1991shiftin Indias economic policy was amonumental breakthrough, notonly producing high economicgrowthbutliftingmillionsoutofpoverty.Modi hasby nowbecome

theposterboyofmarkets,thoughManmohan Singh gave birth totheneweconomicera.

Gupta and Mantri lend theterm left-liberal considerableimprecision. Theysee manymoreeconomic adversariesthanthereactually are. Very few opposemarkets today.Theboneof con-tentioniswhethermarketsalone

would lead to mass welfare, orstateinterventionis alsorequired.Liberalslikemefindmarketsnec-essary, but not sufficient. Indianeeds greater play of marketforces,but thegovernmentswel-fare,regulatory andpublic-goodsfunctions remain.

Let us now turn to saladbowls and melting pots. In-

ventedby AshisNandy,thesetwometaphorshavehadalastingim-

pact on how we think about theIndiannation.

Though often associated inpopular mindwiththe US,schol-

ars of nationalism are clear thatFranceisthe ultimatemeltingpotof the world. There are no hy-phenated identities in France.Muslim-French, Jewish-French,

Arab-French arenot categoriesFrance allows; all have to beFrench in an undifferentiated

way. In contrast, the US allowshyphens:Irish-American,Italian-

American, Jewish-American,Chinese-American, Indian-

American are all accepted cat-egories.Moreover,the termmi-norities is highly prevalent.Thereis nominorityquotato besure, but affirmative action ispractised as an enabling provi-sion.I routinelysiton admissionsand fellowship committees,

whichconsciouslysearchfor mi-noritycandidates.

Americaallowsminoritiestoflourish. TheWhite Housecele-bratesDiwali today.YetAmericaremains strong as a nation. OnedoesnothavetobecomeaFranceto acquire national purpose andstrength. Sincethe 19th century,IndiahasplayedwithtwoideasofIndia:one thatsoughtEuropean-stylenationhood,builtonunifor-mity;another thatsought integra-tionof minoritiesvia recognitionof diversities.Hindu nationalistshave always sought the f ormer;Gandhi and Nehru, whose ideas

won out and were finally enshr-inedin theConstitution,thoughtaccommodation of diversities

would make minorities secure.They were not consciously thi-nkingoftheUS,buttheirintrinsicunderstandingwasthat Indiawasnothing if not diverse. They also

thoughtthatimposinguniformitywould undermine India, notmakeit stronger. InIndia, undif-ferentiatedcitizenshipisan ideo-logues or a philosophers pipedreamwith ghastlyreal-worldim-plications.Itwillunleashincalcu-lable violence. Havent welearnedfromthe violenttragediesof Europe in the first half of the20thcentury?

A singular national identitywasalsoequatedwithmasculinityby Hindu nationalists. Vivek-ananda, whose sayings Moditweets, came to promote threeBsfor Hindus: beef, bicepsandthe Bhagavad Gita.For Gandhi,as also Nehru, Indias identitycould be soft and feminine. Forthem, femininity was not a crip-plingevil;ifanything,itwasasign

of inner strength. One did notneedbeefand bicepstogeneratenational resolve.

Does Modi want to inte-grate minorities by giving themspaceto breatheandfeelIndianbecause India respects theirbelief systems?Or doeshewantthem to be undifferentiatedIndians, or Indians whose val-ueswouldbedefinedby thema-

jority community?IfIndianscanbeGujaratiIn-

diansorHinduIndians,whycanttherebeMuslimIndiansorChris-tianIndians?

ThewriterisSolGoldmanProfessorof InternationalStudiesandthe SocialSciences atBrown

University,wherehealsodirectstheIndiaInitiativeat theWatson

Institute.He isa contributingeditorfor TheIndian Express

Why India mustallow hyphens

In this country, undifferentiated citizenship is an ideologues or aphilosophers pipe dream with ghastly real-world implications

DOES MODI want tointegrateminorities bygiving themspacetobreathe andfeel IndianbecauseIndia respects

theirbelief systems? Ordoes he wantthemto beundifferentiatedIndians,or Indians whose valueswouldbe defined bythemajoritycommunity?

ASHUTOSH VARSHNEY

ChineseTAKEAWAYC.RAJAMOHAN

BADBILL

CLAIMINGthatthegovern-menthas ignoredalmostallthebasicrecommendationsof theselectcommittee,theLefthasindicatedthatthepassageoftheLokpalBillintheforthcomingBudgetsessionof Parliament

maynotbeeasy.ThewaytheUniongovern-

menthastreatedtherecommen-dationsof theRajyaSabhaSe-lectCommitteeontheLokpalBill,itisobviousthatthegovern-mentisnotserious[about]get-tingthebillpassed...Thedraftapprovedby thecabinetisboundtobeopposednotonlyinsideParliamentbutoutsideaswell,theeditorialinCPIweeklyNew

Age says.The editorialarguesthatthedelayin billspassage

willencouragethosewhowanttouseittosidetrackother,muchmoreseriousproblems,particu-larlytheeconomiccrisis.

POLITICAL DECISIONTheCPI(ML)hascriticisedthe

government forhanging AfzalGuru.AneditorialinML Up-date statesthatit wasimpossi-bletoseetheexecutioninanar-rowlegal frameworkandmissthepoliticalcontextand con-tentthatstareallofusintheface.Itclaimsthattheinformationof rejectionofGurusclemencyplea waskeptsecrettopreventhimfromseekinga possiblejudicialstayonthegroundsofthedelayinthedisposalof hispetition.

TheCongresshadearliersaidtheAfzalpetitionwouldbetakenupafterpetitionsfromearlierdateshadbeendisposed.Whywasthequeuesuddenly

jumped?it asks.Thefactthatitwasapoliticaldecisiontohang

AfzalGuruonthe eveof theBudgetsessionwiththe2014

LokSabhaelectionsnot toofarawayiscleartoanybody...Evenifthegovernmentwerenowtoshowparityinexecution,thealienationoftheaverageKash-mirihasbeendeepenedimmea-surably...itconcludes.

GROWING INTOLERANCEAneditorialin CPMjournalPeoplesDemocracy focusesonthepoliticsof culturalandreli-giousintolerance.The articlecomparesthe present situation

withthat inthe NDAdays.Highpitchedcommunalandreligiousintolerancedominatedthediscourseatthattime...Un-fortunately,now historyseemstohave travelledin afull circle,itsays.

Thearticlerefersto thespeechesmade byPraveenTo-gadiaandAkbaruddinOwaisi,protestsover Vishwaroopam,rowoverthe allgirl Kashmirirockmusicgroup PraagaashandWestBengal governmentpre-

ventingthevisit SalmanRushdieand arguesthatalltheseareominoussigns thatthreatentheunityandintegrityofourcountryandthesecularfabricof oursociety.

Itadds:AdesperateRSS-ledBJP,initsefforttoregaincon-trolofthereinsofgovernmentatDelhi...ispreparingtofallbackonitscoreHindutvaagendatorousecommunalpassions. Theconsequentcommunalpolarisa-tion,ithopes,willdeliverpoliticalandelectoralbenefits.

CompiledbyManojC.G.

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