🔆 Key Takeaways: Aftermath of Pahalgam Attack & India’s Collective Identity 📍 Context ✅ The article reflects on the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, where tourists were targeted based on religious identity. ✅ Focuses on how public discourse and political responses shape India’s evolving collective identity. 📍 Three Key Constituencies That Shape the Discourse 1️⃣ Militaristic/Juvenile War Constituency ◦ Romanticises war, often driven by those without direct war experience. ◦ Sees war as a solution to national problems, especially against Pakistan. ◦ Valorises militarism and reduces diplomacy to weakness. ◦ For them, war is a value in itself, not a last resort or means to peace. 2️⃣ Hyper-nationalist/Pakistan-focused Constituency ◦ Views Pakistan as illegitimate, existing due to partition and violence. ◦ Believes India must erase Pakistan from global relevance to assert nationalism. ◦ Influences public sentiment and ideology but doesn’t dominate policy. 3️⃣ Anti-Muslim Constituency ◦ Sees Indian Muslims as an extension of Pakistan. ◦ Blurs line between terrorists and Indian Muslims, fueling majoritarian politics. ◦ Evident in the political decision to have a Muslim officer defend the government, seen by some as a guilty conscience. 📍 Wider Implications ✅ These constituencies have long-standing influence on public discourse and perceptions of nationhood. ✅ Promote exclusionary nationalism, particularly against Indian Muslims. ✅ Consequences include weakening democratic values, shifting from constitutional patriotism to emotive nationalism, and reducing scope for peaceful regional coexistence.