The scope of nationalism is beyond "we the people" and "unity in diversity" and the country will be full of alleged anti-nationals until we start celebrating diversity more than unity, according to JNU professor G Arunima.
"Nationalism is not about tricolours, about boasting of we the people and unity in diversity. We need to understand that the scope of the feeling of being a nationalist should be more about celebrating diversity than unity," she said while addressing students at JNU on nationalism.
Arunima, a faculty at JNU's Centre for Women Studies, was the fourth in the series of the "nationalism" open-air lectures which are being organised at the varsity in protest against the branding of the university as "anti-national" in wake of an event against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
"The story of the nation is about differentiated rhythms coming from different parts of the country. Once I walked into canteen of Lady Sri Ram college where I saw two boards saying 'Indian and South-Indian food served here', and then we talk of diversity? Hasn't this attack on JNU forced us to rethink of these definitions?," she said.
