As Pakistan threat looms, defence ministry goes shopping

Also read: India is disgracing its martyrs with chest-thumping nationalism

Nationalism is the flavour of the season. From the cast of Bollywood movies to the PM's Mann ki Baat message during Diwali, nationalistic fervour is ubiquitous in 2016. The public discourse is overflowing with politicians and celebrities professing gratitude to the soldier, who is the figure in whose name the said discourse is being fuelled.

This nationalism has assumed two forms. On the one hand, it is vying for increased rivalry and enmity with Pakistan.

Being anti-Pakistan, militaristic and hatred-driven is increasingly becoming central to who we are. On the other hand, anyone who disagrees with the centralisation of Pakistan obsession with nationalistic pride or is critical of the government in any other sense (the soldier-army-nation and government are being conflated), is being pitted against the sacrifice of the soldier and labelled anti-national.

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