Pseudo Nationalism

NOTE: I HAD WRITTEN THIS PIECE JUST BEFORE THE INDIA-PAKISTAN MATCH IN WORLD CUP. I COULD NOT AND DID NOT PUBLISH IT THEN AS I THOUGHT IT WILL BE BETTER TO POST WHEN THE DUST SETTLES DOWN.

The Cricket World Cup is indeed the main sports attraction in the Indian sub-continent and India-Pakistan match is simply cherry on the top.

But whenever this sport fixture comes up, all of us flex our muscles (physical as well as mental). The Cricket itself instills a state of mass hysteria into almost all the Indians. All the news channels suddenly become sports channels. And the shouts of “Win against Pakistan, the Cup comes second” grow.

So much is the enthusiasm around that I am sure Indians would not have rejoiced so much even after the real war triumphs against Pakistan. Well all of this is nothing but a case of “pseudo-nationalism”. If I support Pakistan in a game of cricket, do I become a traitor? Should I be tried for charges of sedition? Most of the proud Indians right now think I surely become one. Is the ground of Cricket the only place left to prove patriotism? There are thousands of criteria to prove that as a nation we are far more advanced than our neighboring country. So is the game of Cricket decides which country is better? The things like these which exhibit the sense patriotism are merely transient. What was the outcome of that “candle march” post 26/11? How many of us carry the same patriotism in daily lives?

The same Governments who failed miserably pre and post 26/11 are sitting in the power right now. And our PM has made a diplomatic misjudgment by inviting Pakistani PM for watching the match. Is this goodwill gesture going to solve the diplomatic impasse post 26/11? Is it really going to exert any pressure on Pakistan to relent? None of the questions sadly have an affirmative answer.

Our country has a glorious heritage to be proud of and there will be even better and better future to be proud of. But this pretense of patriotism won’t even last till the next India-Pakistan match. If we can listen and enjoy songs of Pakistani artists then why the Cricket becomes a patriotic barometer? Go and browse different forums. Someone saying India doesn’t have a good chance to win is labeled as an agent of Pakistan. We are taking the game of Cricket too seriously here. Let us not forget that this is game played for an entertainment. Those expecting anything more will only be fooling themselves.

-N.D.K. NIKHIL

PS: Just to spice up the issue- According to an affidavit filed by the BCCI sometime back in Court, “Indian Cricket Team” represents BCCI and not “India”!!