Singing, for unity or division
This article analyzes how the BJP and the founders of modern India have utilized national songs and hymns to shape communal identity. It argues that while the founders sought to expand inclusivity through edits, the current administration is reversing these changes to reflect a different ideological vision.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing ideological battle over cultural symbols and national identity in India, reflecting deeper political shifts in the country's governance.
(This is the latest edition of the Political Line newsletter curated by Varghese K. George. The Political Line newsletter is India’s political landscape explained every week. You can subscribe here to get the newsletter in your inbox every Friday.)
The founders of the Indian nation added into the hymn Raghupati Raghav Raja ram and edited Vande Mataram to expand the community; the BJP seeks to edit the first and reverse the editing in the second
Shared rituals are part of nation-building. Imaginative leaders frame and propagate slogans, songs, and joint community activities with the aim of expanding the participation of people in politics. When shared rituals become more widely shared across broader segments of society, the nation, the community becomes stronger and bigger. Whether or not they are formally adopted as a national song or slogan, the principle holds.
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