INVC,,
Banaras,,
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that a standardized image of an Indian cannot be constructed; if presented, it is partial, incomplete, misleading. India nationalism and the dynamic of the Indian state demand a recognition and appreciation of the existence of a plurality of identities, leaving it to the individual citizen to accentuate or downplay any of these at a particular point of time. Delivering Convocation address at “Annual Convocation of Banaras Hindu University ((BHU)” on the theme “Nationalism and Internationalism in the world of tomorrow” at Varanasi (UP) today, he has said that the latter perception does result, and has resulted, in expressions of ethnic or mini-nationalisms and the emanating tensions. The challenge of resolving them remains work in progress. Homogenization or assimilation, however, is not the answer; it is neither feasible nor desirable.
Shri Ansari opined that a de-nationalisation of the state appears to be in progress. We increasingly encounter the role of supra-national and sub-national entities. On the one hand, there are global problems that transcend national borders in their origin and impact. Pandemics, climatic and environmental disasters and economic or financial crises fall in this category and seek global solutions through international consultation, cooperation, and enforcement. On the other hand, a great many questions are better addressed by side-stepping the state at local levels through civil society groups functioning as real and virtual global communities.
