Patriotism, the tailor-made kind

Ashima Sehajpal Batish

DURING the interval of Mulk, a film that deals with seemingly bigger patriotism issues, an ad of an ethnic clothing brand for men brings it down to ‘pehno apni pehchan’. It shows children tutoring their fathers on swadeshi, videshi, suti, paramparic veshbhusha, urging them to wear traditional kurta for a day. More precisely to invest in the brand’s ‘freedom collection’. In the runup to the Independence Day, the sartorial choice is volleyed as a confirmation of patriotism. 

Confirmation is now mandatory. Patriotism must be worn on the sleeve, like a flashy cuff-link that will fetch you compliments. How else will you do it? Slip into the brand’s kurta, consume a certain brand of ayurvedic products, binge shop on Independence Day sale offers and watch freedom-themed Satyameva Jayate or Gold. You will also be required to watch Nora Fatehi’s item song Dilber in Satyameva Jayate. Revisit it multiple times a day and contribute to the success of the film on patriotism. Off the cuff, Fatehi’s exemplary belly dancing won the song 100 million views in record time. Before the film’s trailer, the song was launched, so its importance can’t be undermined in a film that preaches desh bhakti. 

For more updates on patriotism, log on to ‘desh ka network’. As you do this, you might stumble upon Kunal Kamra’s ‘Patriotism and the Government’. When you settle down after the ROFL bout, you realise the title was misleading. It should have carried a statutory warning: the 10-minute video is detrimental to love-for-the-nation feeling. Within quotes, it states too many uncomfortable truths. I scrolled down and kickers on the lines of ‘the nation wants to know’ rescued my sense of country love. I glued in to heated debates, clapped heartily when the anchor’s hair slipped on his forehead as he passionately jerked his head in anger. That anger, oh yes, is patriotism. Slight variations of it are seen too often now — in the form of lynching, or kanwariyas getting violent, or a mob attacking a school bus. 

They all make for the collective definition of present-day nationalism. Any digression can be labelled anti-national. So, when a leader tells you about our ancient Internet days, have faith. Self-praise is the only recommendation; self-criticism can cost you heavy, perhaps even your job. I believe some politicians when they raise doubts of self-propaganda as Umar Khalid is attacked. 

To chase away the tiny doubts in my dedication, I bought a Tricolour, hand-painted by a child, who made Rs 10 from it. I put it on my car, as a stamp of love for my country. The rain joined in the celebration. And then, something happened. The orange of the flag bled, mixing with water and taking over the white. The green had washed away. The only colour on the flag made it alien to me. It wasn’t mine. I didn’t buy another one. Patriotism is to be cherished, not flaunted.