A Shattered Dream? Nostalgia, Partisanship and the Studied Indifference Towards Democratization

Taking Krishna Kumar’s book Thank you, Gandhi as its point of engagement, this review essay critically examines the conflict of political values in post-Independence India. It presents a synoptic review of the defence of the Nehruvian India amidst the growing rise of Hindu nationalism. While highlighting the role of democratization in the political negotiation of competing ideological frameworks, it assesses the role of intelligentsia in furthering sectional interests in the name of high nationalism. After all, nation-building is an endless contestation and everyday plebiscite over the hegemonic values of our times. And, democracy remains one of the most potent mechanisms to help us choose one set of values over others.