We the People: ‘When people visit India, must give positive picture’

What does the Constitution mean in their lives, in letter and spirit? Which rights matter to them the most, at home and beyond, as they enter 2020, the 70th year of the Republic.

Mude sent this photograph of the Savarkar Smarak in Mumbai

Resident, usual resident; citizen, non-citizen; immigrant, illegal immigrant; Muslim, non-Muslim; Kashmiri, non-Kashmiri. In 2019, ascendant nationalism made way for narrowing definitions of who is a national — neat enough to fit a box to tick on a paper. From Kashmir to Assam, the complex matrix of identities woven over hundred of years of history and geography disintegrated into a jumble of numbers (370, 1971, 19 lakh), while from Sabarimala to Ayodhya, old identities proved strong despite the passage of centuries.

Towards the end of the year, the contesting figures took the shape of protests against the government. This shape seemed to have a common identity: young, articulate, seeking its rights under the Constitution, and rallying around the Preamble, beginning with the words ‘We, the people of India’.

The Sunday Express reaches out to men and women across the Republic, from the uneasy calm of the Valley to the angry disquiet of a campus, the desolation of Bastar to the solitude of a rape victim, and the hope for a job next to Millennium City Gurgaon to the longing for a temple in Ayodhya — to find out, in their own words and their own photographs or sketches, what they talk about when they talk about ‘being India’ and ‘being Indian’.

Rights That Matter Most: ‘The right to vote is the most precious… I feel most Indian voting for a govt’

“The right to vote is the most precious right,” says Ashish Mude.

With the Opposition accusing the Centre of following “Savarkar’s formula” with the new citizenship law, the Hindu Mahasabha leader and his legacy are once again part of public debates. Ashish Mude, a Hindu Mahasabha member and a manager with Nagpur-based Desh Publication, believes there must be no fear-mongering over CAA.

What does India mean to you?

I feel most Indian when I am voting to elect a government. Also, when I go abroad I represent my country. And when someone from another country comes here, I must give him a positive picture, and not just show the poverty.

Have you ever been to Delhi?

I have to visit Delhi at least once a year for official work.

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What is the farthest place you have travelled to from your hometown?

Kanyakumari in the South and Manali in the North.

Do you have a friend from another part of the country?

I have friends in Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

What are the three important rights you enjoy as a citizen of this country?

The right to vote is the most precious right.

For you, the government is…

It is responsible for providing amenities to people, for creating a good image of the country. It should also prioritise the well-being of farmers and industry.

For you, a good citizen is…

Those who work for the welfare of the people.

For you, the most important historical event has been…

Independence from British rule.

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In the New Year, what is the one change you hope for in the country?

Our economy must grow strong because that’s where we have become weak now. The government should take steps to strengthen the economy.

On the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act…

No, I don’t fear it. Everyone must prove one’s citizenship. We must know who is a true citizen and who is not. Where is the question of any harassment?

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