🔆 Key Takeaways: Indian Nationalism – An Intellectual and Political Project 📍 Indian Nationalism as an Ambitious Project ✅ Indian nationalism, particularly in the early 20th century, was an audacious intellectual and political project aimed at fostering belonging without exclusion. 📍 Critique of Present-Day ‘Phoney Nationalism’ ✅ The article critiques current nationalism as a “phony” replacement for the original inclusive vision. ✅ It suggests the decline began earlier, after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, not just after 2014. 📍 Two Competing Nationalisms ✅ Inclusive Nationalism (Gandhi, Nehru): Focused on secularism, pluralism, and shared identity. ✅ Exclusive Nationalism: Promoted upper-caste, majoritarian narratives based on religion and identity. 📍 Belonging vs. Othering ✅ The original vision of nationalism emphasized belonging without othering, while the current discourse focuses on identity-based exclusion. 📍 Role of Elites and Institutions ✅ Elite-driven nationalism failed to embed itself deeply in society, with intellectuals disconnected from the masses. 📍 Instrumental Religion and National Identity ✅ Religion was used politically, stripped of spirituality, and became a political identity marker post-1990s. 📍 Pre-Existing Fragility of Nationalism ✅ The downfall of inclusive nationalism is rooted in its inherent limitations, including a lack of grassroots connect and overreliance on elite discourse. #indiannationalism #inclusion #politics #culturalidentity