Beyond emotion

Historian Benedict Anderson, author of the bestselling book Imagined Communities, has often pointed out that dual citizenship is the key safeguard against the ‘malign’ influence of what he has termed ‘long distance nationalism’ or ‘e-mail nationalism’.

That distance makes the heart grow not only fonder but also fiercer is borne out in the overseas support to several violent ‘nationalist’ movements such as the IRA, the Tamil Tigers, the Khalistan movement as well as, on the smaller scale, to groups like the ULFA. It is only when an immigrant develops real stakes in his homeland that he begins to exercise his wealth and influence as responsibly and as accountably as any citizen.

Thus, not only will dual citizenship facilitate smoother travel for NRIs but it might also encourage a realistic engagement with the needs of modern India.

This country is justifiably proud of those who left situations of rural poverty to become, over new generations, politicians in Canada or indeed prime ministers of Mauritius or Fiji and of those who after Indian degrees have secured success in international financial institutions or have created corporate empires.

Yet for relations between India and its exiles to become meaningful there is a need to go beyond emotion and discover clear means by which NRIs can make positive contributions to the land they claim as their emotional touchstone. While there are several examples of emigre communities playing an outstanding role in earthquake relief, in endowing universities, in setting up hospitals and in enriching culture with original artifacts of East-West fusion, there remains the constant danger of high-wattage NRI emotion being channelised into divisive politics.

The date of the Pravasi Diwas has been set to coincide with the date of the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi to India, reminding us that the father of the nation was non-resident for many years of his life. Perhaps the new overseas ‘citizens’ of India might find ways to make their presence in their homeland as constructive, as pragmatic and as down-to-earth, as was the presence of India’s greatest NRI.