As millions of Indians struggle to breathe under his watch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is building himself a palatial new residence, part of a two-billion-dollar BJP government project to redevelop the Central Vista of the British-built capital New Delhi. This is an assertion of the power of the Central government in line with efforts to undercut states access to vaccines and oxygen, and is in clear defiance of questioning by the Supreme Court.But it comes at a time when the country has never strained more at the edges, with assertions of local power and autonomy across border states.
Kerala, on the southwestern coast, remains a stronghold of Left-leaning parties and has eluded BJPs control. The BJP also has little appeal in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. In elections in Bengal where the party held massive, virus-spreading rallies, the party was handily defeated by the All-India Trinamool Congress.
For months now, Punjabs farmers have led the worlds biggest protest, challenging laws that threaten their livelihoods. Meanwhile, the Punjab state government is asking for an oxygen corridor to neighbouring Pakistani Punjab. The Centre has been trying hard to assert its dominance of an intransigent Kashmir since 2019, resorting to brutal methods of suppression. It is no coincidence that these are all states with complex religious demographics in which the BJPs Hindutva ideology struggles for traction.
The centrifugal energy at Indias margins terrifies the Centre more even than its failure to protect its people, driving it now to monumental lengths to assert an unquestioned dominance that it does not possess. It also, however, speaks to the potential for alternative South Asian futures. Many despair at the lack of a strong, viable alternative to the BJP on the national stage, lamenting, in particular, the failures of the Congress party, which let dynastic priorities tarnish the legitimacy it acquired as the nations founding party.
Also read:True Federalism Is the Counter-Narrative India Needs Right Now
But the strength of diverse local forms of resistance is a reminder of the importance of local autonomy in a vast country with rich local political and cultural traditions. They offer an opportunity to recover, even in the midst of rage, death, and hopelessness, the anticolonial visions of earlier generations whose resistance to British rule was also resistance to the imperious Central government in a region long accustomed to more layered notions of sovereignty.
Those thinkers dreamt of a range of federal alternatives, many of which were seriously on the table all the way up to 1946 a year before Indias formal independence. The Congress leader and first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru famously dreamt of a single unified India, rejecting federal structures with a weak Centre as susceptible to neocolonialism. But his was just one of many dreams of a free India; its passing does not mean the end of the Indian idea, but of just one version of that idea an idea deeply contested even in its own time.
Farmers protest against the farm bills at Singhu border near Delhi, India, December 4, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Anushree Fadnavis.
Mahatma Gandhi, for instance, pressed for an India made up of independent yet interdependent village republics, seeing strength in connected coexistence and partnership. When Nehrus vision prevailed, those who found their grander ambitions for a broader transformation of Indian society eclipsed even then told us that Vo intizar tha jis ka ye vo sahar to nahin, in the words of the poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who was also an activist with Punjabs farmers. This is not the dawn we were waiting for.
Evolution of Indian union
From the early 20th century, Pan-Asian, Pan-Islamic, global communist, and other visions animated many Indian freedom fighters, who saw in the world wars proof of the dangers of nationalism as much as imperialism. The Russian Revolution, followed by the emergence of a new kind of polity the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in which nationhood was (theoretically) subordinated, fed this imaginative effort, not least because colonial India was a patchwork of areas administered directly by the British and hundreds of princely states with varying degrees of autonomy that needed to be incorporated into a new decolonised formation.
The president of the Indian National Congress in 1923, Mohamed Ali Jauhar, dreamt of a federation, grander, nobler and infinitely more spiritual than the United States of America,(a) dream of United Faiths of India. Young revolutionaries of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association tried to create a federated republic of the United States of India through organised armed revolution.
Many of these visions arose out of an effort to accommodate the growing demand for political autonomy for Indias Muslims once the British created separate electorates based on religion. The very idea of partition emerged from this swirl of federal visions. The British favoured the idea of partition for the continued mediating role it would give them, but Indian thinkers were trying to imagine a new postcolonial world order, one with stronger ethical foundations than the irreligious nation-state order that continually produced destructive wars.
The radical journalist, poet, and politician Hasrat Mohani talked of separate Muslim states in India, united with Hindu states under a National Federal government. In 1930, the poet and philosopher Mohamed Iqbal alighted on the idea of a Muslim India within India, while searching for a way to make India a country without a nation, in the words of the historian Faisal Devji. Gandhi too conceived of the Indian as an international category. In 1946, Rajendra Prasad, future president of independent India, pressed for an unnational India.
Even when partition turned into a plan for separate nation-states in 1947, prompting the biggest human migration in history and the loss of millions of lives, many continued to believe it did not mean separation but partnership.
Gandhi declared, I do not consider Pakistan and India as two different countries. The situation was hardly settled at that point: Pakistans currency was printed in India. Indian accountants served the Pakistani government. The Reserve Bank of India was the state bank for both countries till July 1948. The border remained relatively open, and people moved back and forth with relative ease (until the 1960s).
Also read:COVID-19 as a Test of Narendra Modis Promise of Cooperative Federalism
Kashmirs fate remained a question; in the very heart of India, the massive princely state of Hyderabad held out against joining the union until 1948 and an independent village republic of Paritala lasted over a year; a communist revolution followed in neighbouring China in 1949. Pakistans initial shape as a country made up of two wings divided by a thousand miles of Indian territory itself seemed to testify to the possibility of creatively exceeding the limits of the nation-state paradigm.
Taking on the imperious Centre
But the 1940s had incubated other visions, too. The paramilitary groups that drove partitions violence, including the RSS, shared an imprint of the fascist movements of that time. Federal hopes yielded eventually to a fortress-like, centralised nation-state sustained by continual demonisation of enemies within and without. But no futures are foreclosed. At that very moment, Europe, the ruined birthplace of fascism itself, began to take steps towards forming a political and economic community the European Union of today.
Women protesters at Jamia Millia Islamia during the anti-CAA and NRC protests. Photo: IsmatAra
India is a subcontinent, like Europe. Since 1947, it has coped with repeated threats of secession, from the north, northwest, the northeast, the south well before the era of Modi. Modis intense and violent bid to homogenise and govern autocratically this vast and stubbornly diverse subcontinent like Napoleons and Hitlers attempts in Europe cannot but fail. The Centre cannot hold.
Also read:In a Post-COVID-19 World, the Only Way Ahead for India Is Economic Federalism
Perhaps it is time to dream again outside the box of the nation-state: a political and economic union that preserves local autonomy, akin to Europes. Rather than wait in vain for an opposition on the national stage to save India from the BJP, Indians must use the power already there on local stages to push back against both the BJP and autocratic Central government, drawing strength from earlier struggles for a federated, truly postcolonial India one that may enable unity in the more urgently important environmental sense by allowing not only oxygen but rivers to flow undammed once again.
Border state struggles are struggles against an imperious Centre in the hands of brown sahibs wielding laws of repression created by their colonial predecessors. They are a reminder that the Indian freedom struggle was anticolonial before it was nationalist.
As a virus reveals the rottenness still at the Centre, it is time to revive that original dream. Sahir Ludhianvi, another poet and activist of that time, reminded us of the importance of weaving fresh dreams in the darkest times:
Aao ki koi khwab bunen kal ke vaste,varna ye raat aaj ke sangeen daur kidas legi jaan o dil ko kucch aaise ki jaan o dilta-umr phir na koi haseen khwab bun saken.
(Come, lets weave a dream for tomorrow, else this night of todays grave times will sting the soul in such a way that the soul may not again all its life be able to weave a beautiful dream.)
Priya Satia is the Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History at Stanford University and author of two award-winning books:Spies in Arabia(OUP, 2008) andEmpire of Guns (Penguin, 2018). Her new book isTimes Monster: History, Conscience and Britains Empire (Allen Lane, 2020).
Read the original here:
As BJP Aims to Homogenise India, Localised Resistance Can Restore Federalism - The Wire
- 2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Need to pitch for Federalism and Special Status for Goa - Herald Goa - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- 1999 constitution and the quest for true federalism - Nigerian Observer - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Federalism is not Apartheid The Mail & Guardian - Mail and Guardian - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Modi has delivered confrontational federalism: Congress | Siddaramaiah highlights 'injustices to K'taka | Inshorts - Inshorts - April 6th, 2024 [April 6th, 2024]
- Lebanese Pro-Federalism Activist Alfred Riachi: Prior To October 7, The Standard Of Living In Gaza Was Pretty ... - Middle East Media Research... - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- The Potential Impact of 'Disease X' on Federalism in the U.S. - Medriva - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- 'People's Charter' Puts Federalism at The Heart of Myanmar's Democratic Future - The Irrawaddy - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Siddaramaiah vs Modi: The 'cess-y' mess in fiscal federalism - Deccan Herald - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Ideas Of India: Devendra Fadnavis To Take A Deep Dive Into Role Of Collaborative Federalism In Nation-Building - ABP Live - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Potential of federalism should be realized: PM Dahal - The Himalayan Times - February 22nd, 2024 [February 22nd, 2024]
- Sensible education policy needed - The Kathmandu Post - October 9th, 2023 [October 9th, 2023]
- Both cooperative federalism and competitive federalism have their ... - Insights IAS - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- Federalism to poll promises: South India CMs bring up host of local ... - South First - August 18th, 2023 [August 18th, 2023]
- Justice Mitchell (Alabama): "The New Bar Exam Puts DEI Over ... - Reason - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Season of instability - The Kathmandu Post - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Trump Indictment Tests Congress's Role in State Investigations - Bloomberg Law - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Big Business' New Plan Would Create Fifty New Immigration Policies - Federation for American Immigration Reform - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Senator decries move to block bill loosening Wisconsin abortion law - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- "Illegally buying time": Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi chastises ... - ANI News - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Baby Ninth Amendments Part IV: All the Rights but Not ALL the Rights - Reason - May 20th, 2023 [May 20th, 2023]
- Amid the Fight for Myanmar, Federalism Rises from the Grass Roots - United States Institute of Peace - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Lesson from Karnataka respect states and India's federalism - Deccan Herald - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Dr. Paul Nolette named director of Les Aspin Center for Government ... - Marquette Today - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Sen. Cramer Welcomes ND Witnesses, Discusses Water ... - Kevin Cramer - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Utilities, Transmission, and the Grid: An Interview with Ari Peskoe - Brown Political Review - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Six months after elections, provincial governments are still incomplete - The Kathmandu Post - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- NON-FICTION: WHY FEDERALISM ENDURES IN PAKISTAN ... - DAWN.com - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- Justice Scalia's Unpublished Dissent in Kelo v. City of New London - Reason - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- Citizens, civil society hold the ruling party, BJP to account ... - SabrangIndia - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- ED Proposes Title IX Athletics Rule Requiring Participation Based ... - The Federalist Society - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- The Mysterious Case of the Imposition of Article 355 in Manipur - The Wire - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- Non-BJP State Governments Not Exercising Accountability, Allowing ... - Daily Excelsior - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- Two years of Stalin government in Tamil Nadu: Two steps forward - Times of India - May 6th, 2023 [May 6th, 2023]
- What is the issue of gubernatorial inaction in the legislative process ... - Insights IAS - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- World Bank Approves $100 Million to Strengthen Nepal's Healthcare ... - ReliefWeb - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Canada's federal transfer payment system badly needs a tune-up - The Conversation - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- 50 years of basic structure doctrine | Only safeguard against majoritarian govt: Sr Advocate Ramachandran - The Indian Express - April 29th, 2023 [April 29th, 2023]
- Federalism - Definition, Examples, Cases, processes - Legal Dictionary - February 20th, 2023 [February 20th, 2023]
- What is federalism? | State Policy Network - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- UPSC Key- January 19, 2023: Learn about Annual Status of Education Report, Federalism and State Legislatures - The Indian Express - January 19th, 2023 [January 19th, 2023]
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism American Government - January 6th, 2023 [January 6th, 2023]
- fiscal federalism | public finance | Britannica - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- About ALEC - American Legislative Exchange Council - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Canadian federalism - Wikipedia - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- U.P. bags top honours at PMAY-U Awards 2021 - The Hindu - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- Political Line sc views on conversions rajiv convicts and federalism and more - The Hindu - November 21st, 2022 [November 21st, 2022]
- Byron Williams: The court is poised to rewrite federalism - Winston-Salem Journal - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Why Hindi may set the tone for 2024 - Deccan Herald - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- A Myanmar roadmap: Charting the path to federal democracy - International IDEA - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Next generation of reforms should focus on reducing cost of doing business - Economic Times - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Nigeria And The Intrigues Of Insecurity -By Kene Obiezu - Opinion Nigeria - October 17th, 2022 [October 17th, 2022]
- Trudeau's aggressive federalism may leave Ottawa weaker than before - The Globe and Mail - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- What is Federalism? | CSF - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Kerala Against Hindi Imposition; Terms Recommendations Attack on Federalism and Diversity of Nation - NewsClick - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- 2023: Well Vote for Candidate Committed to Federalism, Diversity, Says UPU - THISDAY Newspapers - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Attorney General Knudsen fights Biden administration rule requiring states to reach net-zero highway emissions - Montana Department of Justice - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- How Scotland can learn from Quebec's third way on constitution - HeraldScotland - October 15th, 2022 [October 15th, 2022]
- Federalism and Why Presidents Fail - THISDAY Newspapers - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Vedanta and the missing spirit of federalism - The New Indian Express - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Federalism Most Suited Idea For India In View Of Its Diversity, Centralising Whole Things Will Lead To... - Live Law - Indian Legal News - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Urging the Use of One Federal Decision Rule to Speed Up Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Projects - Kevin Cramer - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Constitution Day 2022: Celebrating the right to govern ourselves - Yellowhammer News - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- From Augusta Constitution Day: What does it mean to you? - Press Herald - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Explained | The office of the Governor: its origins, powers, and controversies - The Hindu - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Geography Professional Speaker Series kicks off with alumnus from Ohio EPA on Sept. 23 - Ohio University - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Vector-borne diseases trouble Nepal every year as there is not a single entomologist - Online Khabar (English) - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- The Gujarat factor in the development project - Hindustan Times - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- The downslide in federal relations - The Indian Express - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Competition between states to attract investment will boost Indias economy - Moneycontrol - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- For state of the nation, look at states of the nation: Niti Aayogs new chief says it will help states learn - Times of India - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Letters to the Editor: Queen injected vitality, vigour into lives of many - The Kingston Whig-Standard - September 22nd, 2022 [September 22nd, 2022]
- Climate action that runs on cooperative federalism - The Hindu - September 15th, 2022 [September 15th, 2022]
- The spirit of federalism - The News International - September 15th, 2022 [September 15th, 2022]
- Javier Perez Sandoval Receives the 2022 William Anderson Award - - Political Science Now - September 15th, 2022 [September 15th, 2022]
- A new Constitutional Convention is a very bad idea | Opinion - Knoxville News Sentinel - September 15th, 2022 [September 15th, 2022]
- Rodney Hero Receives the 2022 Barbara Sinclair Lecture Award - - Political Science Now - September 15th, 2022 [September 15th, 2022]
- Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service: Migratory Bird Hunting; 20222023 Seasons for Certain Migratory Game Birds - Government... - September 15th, 2022 [September 15th, 2022]
- Increasing Threat To Federalism From Centrally Sponsored Schemes- Need To Form A Federal Front - Countercurrents.org - September 3rd, 2022 [September 3rd, 2022]
- Breakenridge: Supporting federalism is the only way Alberta can be a partner in LNG exports - Calgary Herald - September 3rd, 2022 [September 3rd, 2022]
- Two tools for tracking the American Rescue Plans local and national impacts - Brookings Institution - September 3rd, 2022 [September 3rd, 2022]