In my piece in forthcoming @frontline_india I focus on NaMo Govt's wrecking of the economy and livelihoods in the name of fighhting #Covid . Also on how it mounts an onslought on every democratic right under cover of lockdown. In this context what does #AatmanirbharBharat mean?
Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Modi's imagination means - India, fend for yourself. The English translation - self-reliance - is not an accurate one. Historically, self-reliance was meant and used for the country - that is India being self-reliant.
Of course, to the Swadeshi-mouthing Sanghi this may appear attractive, but it comes with its own bundle of cotrdictions. In particular, there is the obviously Nehruvian connotation, to which the Sangh is seriously allergic to. There is also the legacy issue from the freedom movt.
That legacy sits very uncomfortably with the Sangh's deliberately coy distancing from the movement for freedom. In contrast, #Aatmanirbhar emphasises the SELF. This is becos the word originates in Sanskrit, in whose time the concept of a nation as we know now did not exist.
@threadreaderapp Pl unroll
