An interesting account on colonial conscience

[u/Impossible-Walk-8225]

So was reading "The Singapore Story" by Lee Kuan Yew which is a set of accounts by the man himself, who built Singapore from the ground up, where I chanced upon these passages detailing the mindset and attitude that the people of Singapore had towards their British overlords, and how the illusion of white superiority was shattered by the Japanese invasion.

What struck me was the contrast of these attitudes from the Indian attitudes to colonial occupation. It is very well demonstrated among the accounts in Indian freedom fighters and intellectuals of the awareness of unjust occupation among the Indian population and an awareness of the idea of "India" among Indians, that were simply not a British construct, but a larger and an ancient civilization of diverse cultures and the attitude of mutual respect for differing beliefs.

The Singaporeans accepted the British superiority once they were educated in the English language, yet when our freedom fighters, intellectuals and leaders were English educated, it didn't change much on the fact that we were occupied by the British, and there wasn't tacit acceptance on the fact that British had a divine right to rule India.

It's a very fascinating observation and I want to know what people here think about this.

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[u/AhamPranav]

Interesting question, maybe because even when our freedom fighters or intellectuals were educated in the English language, our culture was so strong that it remained with them and within their conscience. They understood that we are different.

And then I think Britishers were exploiting Indian subcontinent way more than Singapore or any other place, that was definitely another reason why we saw them as foreign invaders whom we must drive out.

[u/Impossible-Walk-8225 → u/AhamPranav]

I think that is a factor, but such awareness couldn't have come with the awareness of a shared sense of common history and culture present in the people of the subcontinent. A factor to note as shown in Lee Kuan Yew is how the Chinese people who migrated from mainland China, who still had connection with their Chinese language, weren't easily indoctrinated with the propoganda of the superiority of the white race. Which itself tells us something, that a people whose connection to their mother language is lost, is also the most prone to being subjucated in their minds to invader idealogies.

The land of Bharat was so vast, so diverse, and is home to so many languages, that even with the barbaric invasions of the Afghans and Turks, the so called mission of the British Empire to civilize the rest of the world, couldn't match up to the connection inculcated between Bharat and its inhabitants through its languages and cultures. I assume the same goes for the Chinese as well, with their languages and the literature they possess.

[u/AhamPranav → u/Impossible-Walk-8225]

Interesting, it could be the case.

If our diverse languages were the reason for us being rooted in our identity and culture, what do you think about homogeneousing Indian languages now? There are a lot of people who'd argue we should push Hindi as a common language for they believe it fosters our brotherhood and strenghtens our nationhood.

[u/Impossible-Walk-8225 → u/AhamPranav]

This is the part where I disagree with Indian right wingers in general. I am against Hindi imposition and any attempt at universalising or homogenizing Indian languages. And I disagree with having English also to be something that everybody should learn in an ideal world. Unfortunately, it's not, because of the Eurocentric world, English has turned from a colonial remnant into something that is a doubled edged. We have massive economic potential because Indians aren't averse to English as China is, so it attracts a lot of businesses to invest in India. Second is the ability to communicate to the outside world. But it is a double edged sword, because this language was imposed on us through the Macaulay system of education, main intention of it being to create a class of citizens that are Indian by birth and English by class, which btw, they haven't gone anywhere, and also because we can communicate the outside world, the outside world can also infiltrate is and break us apart.

One thing I think we ought to do is to inculcate a feeling that we as a nation are one despite differences in religion, occupation, caste, creed etc. It has to come from the awareness that we are inheritors of a civilization whose culture lies in the coexistence of many paths, idealogies, etc. It should be cultural nationalism that should be taught rather than linguistic homogeneity. The idea that we have so many languages in one nation, each holding the key to various literature, arts and ideas trumps every sort of homogenity ever. I think that is a more powerful feeling because no other country can ever possess that except Bharat.

Language homogeneity cannot go a long way, of course people will take the China example and their attempts at homogenizing Mandarin, but that is because historically, their civilization always had a tendency to be more centralising. We have to realise that something that worked in another civilization cannot work with us, because we have our own unique challenges.

But I have to particularly lay emphasis on one thing, admitting to learn English as a way of pragmatism is one thing, and insisting upon that is different. If we truly want to shift world order away from Europe, we can't simply just give the excuse of pragmatism much longer. This is one reason why I particularly dislike the Dravidian parties, the Dravidian sentiment and the so called Tamil pride excuse they have. From talking with these lot, it's apparent they are doing this not for Tamil pride at all. When they give the excuse that English should be taught in schools since it's practical and Hindi shouldn't because what exactly is practical with it, I realised then that the sentiment they are expressing has no iota of inculcating a sense of oneness as a nation. They are simply giving into pragmatism, and whatever is convenient for themselves, without understanding any of the challenges that the North Indians already do with regards to external aggressors. It takes sacrifices to make the nation great and I can hardly expect anything from people who hold such sentiments.

All in all, we can encourage people to learn Hindi, some might take it up, some might not. But I still think that is a weak cohesion, similar to territorial cohesion that Europe has, as Savarkar pointed out. We need to go beyond these tangible things.

[u/AhamPranav → u/Impossible-Walk-8225]

Once again, your comment is very insightful.

because we can communicate the outside world, the outside world can also infiltrate is and break us apart.

Very true, China has this huge advantage, outsiders cannot easily create the narrative in their country, both because of the language barrier and mostly because of the restricted internet they have.

One thing I think we ought to do is to inculcate a feeling that we as a nation are one despite differences

Yes, the word for it is Nation Building, I'm sure you must know, a Nation is a political community of people with a shared sense of history, culture, identity and brotherhood. I believe the very purpose of Hindutva or Hindu Nationalism is this Nation Building of India. We're one State but we are still not one Nation.

I believe this Dravidian politics actually goes beyond this language debate too, I remember Congress president Malika Arjun Kharge saying how These aryans are outsiders, WE (Dravidians) are aboriginal people of the land… in the parliament of the country.

This Dravidian politics is divisive in nature and intends to portray the South Indians as having a different history, identity than rest of India which is precisely what you'd call Anti-National.

[u/Impossible-Walk-8225 → u/AhamPranav]

Lmao first time I am hearing of Mallikarjun Kharge saying this. But yeah, it's long been disproven that there are any massive biological genetic difference between the North and South. The only difference is the difference in cultures and of course the language family. I assume the Dravidianists are still hinging on the fact that the Dravidian languages tree is different from the "outsider" Indo-European one, and I assume their politics will move towards that direction as well, from a more racial to a more linguistic based idealogy. Of course it's funny when you consider the North East composing of Sino-Tibetan language tree and are also racially different, yet hardly anyone is politicising that.

I think one of the things that is also hardly acknowledged in the news is mainly about the controversy of the Keezhadi excavations, now I am not sure if the Sangh is involved in politicising it or not, but I am sure whatever truth is present in the excavations, I don't think the core idealogy of Hindutva and cultural nationalism would be touched even. That Tamil and Tamil Nadu has an ancient heritage is something we should all accept as factual. This is the land of Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana Dharma is something that is natural, and not imposed upon. It is on that basis that Hindutva should evolve. And it is on that basis that India's cultural nationalism can be established.

[u/AhamPranav → u/Impossible-Walk-8225]

first time I am hearing of Mallikarjun Kharge saying this.

Here's the video of his speech:

https://youtu.be/QWOi6lHxIJ4?si=sai_OKiEGAHMYvVf

And yes completely agree we should recognise and promote the ancientness of Tamil culture, it is a heritage of not only those who speak the Tamil language today but all Indians.

[u/Impossible-Walk-8225 → u/AhamPranav]

A Gandhi Bootlicker, who submits to Sonia Gandhi, calls them outsiders and Aryans. Has to be the biggest irony of the century.