The Paradox of the Nation-State and 'Hyphenated Nationality' in India
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Polity & Governance (Citizenship, Eighth Schedule of the Constitution), Indian Society (Diversity, Regionalism).
Mains:
GS Paper 1: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India; Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism; Effects of globalization on Indian society.
GS Paper 2: The Constitution of India—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, basic structure; Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.
Essay: Nationalism, Identity, Diversity, Belonging, or the challenges of the Nation-State model in a globalized world.
Key Highlights from the News
Main Incident: Incidents where migrant workers from West Bengal (Bengali migrant workers) are harassed and deported in other states, suspected of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Underlying Concept: This incident points to the problem of "Hyphenated Nationality" in India. This is a situation where the Indian identity of some citizens is questioned based on their language, religion, or ethnicity.
Article's Main Argument: This is not a new problem, but rather the result of a fundamental paradox in the Western model of the modern nation-state adopted by India.
Paradox of the Nation-State: A nation-state requires homogeneity for political unity, but diversity for economic and cultural vitality. The conflict between these two needs creates the "other".
Legal Identity and Social Identity:
A citizen's legal identity is their documents (Aadhaar, Voter ID).
However, their moral grounding (social acceptance) is determined by society.
In the case of Bengali workers, society views them as "others" based on their language and appearance, rather than their legal documents.
Examples: Muslims in India, Nepalis, and now Bengalis face this problem. Similar problems exist in other South Asian countries like Muhajirs in Pakistan and Madhesis in Nepal.
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