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Soumya Sarkar
New Delhi, July 17: Distance makes the heart grow fonder. It can also make it virulently nationalistic. The NRI response to the Kargil conflict makes this unambiguously clear, if you go by the letters in the Indian media and the reactions on Internet sites. Says sociologist M N Panini, a professor at the School for the Study of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU): ``This is a well known effect of the diaspora where first generation expatriates romanticise the country and culture they have left behind.''Says sociologist Dipankar Gupta, professor, School for the Study of Social Sciences, JNU: ``For NRIs, the `idea' of India is a source of strength. In times of crisis, therefore, they will react more vehemently than us.''
Elaborating, Gupta points out that ``NRIs are not really practising India'', whereas the people in the country view the conflict through the ``filter of everyday practices''. Reactions of the former will necessarily be stronger.Panini agrees. ``NRIs will naturally be morestrongly nationalistic than people who are actually living in the country because of their need to assert themselves in the foreign society where they find themselves. This very factor sometimes triggers the rise of fundamentalism in their convictions. This is also inextricably woven around the notion of identity, which makes religious sentiments stronger and sows the seeds of fervent fundamentalism,'' he says.
Sociologist Veena Das of the Delhi School of Economics strongly opposes this perception. ``The stereotype of NRIs as ultra-nationalists needs to be seriously contested,'' she says. According to her, such conflicts always pose a difficult situation for the expatriate. ``In this celebration of patriotism, it's difficult to speak in a different voice and at the same time not undermine the brave efforts of the soldiers. But the primary question that needs to be asked is why should so many young people die?'' she points out.
Das feels that it is often easier to be a patriot at a distance. According toher, formulating an alternate reaction takes more time.
Says she, ``We have to re-imagine the nature of polity. It's easy for a jingoist to find a voice. It's more difficult for people with a different opinion because they have to do it in a manner which is not hurtful to those who are putting their lives on the line.'' She is quick to adds: ``When speech comes too easily, it's time to be suspicious.''
The advent of communication technologies, particularly the Internet and e-mail, could have also fuelled expat patriotism. Says Panini, ``The effect of communication technology definitely helps in fueling these sentiments. The coverage of the conflict on TV has certainly helped in moulding sentiments. The convenience of e-mail has also prompted more people to voice their opinions.'' Gupta does not entirely agree with this. ``I do not think technology makes any real difference. The real thing is the strength of sentiment. Easy communication could perhaps stoke the sentiment to an extent, but that's noteverything,'' he says.
Das feels that technology does democratise access. Says she, ``The Internet does carry an illusion of closeness. Reading The Times of India on the Web in New York has the appearance of bringing you closer but still somehow it falls short of the real thing.'' Little wonder, expat reactions too, either fall short or go overboard.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
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