The hyper nationalist

So I read about an article about Salil Chaturvedi. Here’s how it goes. He is a disabled in a wheel chair who got hit in the cinema hall for “not standing up for the national anthem”

The person has been wheelchair bound since 1984. He’s also a writer, a disability activist and represented India in wheelchair tennis in the Australian open. Naturally it was shocking but something that couldn’t be understood. I understand a person being annoyed that another person wasn’t standing for the anthem, but the question really is was there ever a need to assault. Why is it that we’re getting so aggressive with our patriotism that we have to force it on others. In his own words he said

“This is not the first time such a thing has happened to me… It has happened a couple of times,” Salil said, adding that such incidents often scare people with disabilities. “First of all, those who are disabled, they already have trouble stepping out because, it is difficult to find disabled friendly places in Goa. They will be scared to step out in such places, for fear of being attacked. Their freedom will be curbed,” Salil said.

While he says that respecting the national anthem was imperative, the cinema hall, he says may not be the right place for the sacred anthem.

“Everything has its own place. Is it possible that one goes to a restaurant before you are served, you will have to sing a national anthem? Or before withdrawing money from an ATM to show how much you love the country. Our deeds convey our love to the country and it is not important that everyone has to stand up,” he said.

He further added, “I now believe that even if I could stand up during the national anthem, I would rather not, simply because I am being forced to do so. My father is an Air Force veteran. I represented the nation in wheelchair tennis at the Australian Open. Look at my life choices! Who are you to judge how much I love India?”

That last line got me. No one has the right to judge my love for my country. It also forces to ask the question why this wave of intolerance. It is one thing totally disrespecting the country, but its another thing to force patriotism on everyone.

#TVI