Nationalism carries connotations of Nazism in present times: BJP MP

Ramnagar: The usage of the term ’nationalism’ in present times carries the connotations of “Nazism” and “Stalinism”, BJP MP Tarun Vijay said. [caption id=“attachment_2973770” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] Speaking at a session on ‘National ideologies and their effect on global politics’ at the Kumaon Literature Festival (KLF) in Ramnagar on Tuesday, Vijay noted that the term ’nationalism’ was synonymous with notorious historical figures of Mussolini and Hitler and its present usage appears to have its genesis in the days of Nazis and Stalin. “The word nationalism itself is a condemned word. So, I do not say nationalism. I say dharma of my country, which is its fragrance and soul,” he said. The BJP had passed a resolution in March saying, “Nationalism, national unity and integrity are an article of faith of the BJP.” The party has also sought to grab the ’nationalist space’ in the recent past amid raging debates over returning of awards by intellectuals, the JNU row and the PoK surgical strikes. The BJP MP from Uttarakhand said the word ‘ideology’ was a “communist construct”, earning a few sniggers from the audience. “I do not accept that ‘ideology’ is an Indian construct. It is a western construct, a Leftist, communist construct. They wanted to frame everything within their four walls. When someone says that you are an ideologue, I feel that someone from the Stalinist era is speaking of Gulag and Siberia. For me, the Indian construct would be dharma,” he said. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said nationalism had always been a “scapegoat” of terrorism and migration, and that it was “twisted” according to convenience. “Nationalism has been twisted by two factors–migration and terrorism globally. The forms of nationalism in Europe owe their existence to these two factors. In the Indian context, it has been distorted,” he said.