nighantu and nirukta
An Open Letter to the Liberal Indian
Labels are easy to apply, especially to one’s opponents. When I write this open letter to the “liberal Indian,” I do not mean it derogatorily. I speak of modern Indians, usually English-educated, generally well-meaning, proudly secularistic, and gravely concerned about a seeming ‘nationalistic,’ ‘hindu fundamentalist,’ ‘majoritarian’, ‘Hindu fascist’ turn our country is taking.
I write this letter because I genuinely want to communicate with you. I want to elaborate the many common grounds we might have, and I want to present a reasoned case for my position - a position you find deeply problematic. More personally, I once counted myself among you, and so what you might call my ‘agenda’ is to present a case that has brought me to where I am today, ideologically. While desiring the ideological ‘conversion’ of another is inherently an intolerant position, I hope to at least convince you that simply by say - voting for BJP, or supporting the Ramjanmabhoomi movement, or the CAA - I am not the fascistic Hindu nationalist you fear me to be. Ultimately, I hope to dilute some of the polarization between us. A kind of meeting ground between the India we all belong to, and the Bhārata I am proud of but you worry over.
I hope you can at least read it in that amicable spirit.