Discourse Analysis on Right-Wing Identity Politics and Nation Building in India

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyze how in India the Identity politics of the right-wing dominant group decide the directions of nation building and attempts to construct a supra monolithic

Brahmanical culture which is posing a threat to the very spirit of pluralism, democracy guaranteed by the Indian constitution. And also, how identity politics is attempting to design nation building process based on a new principle which is divisive and negates the other. Against this background, this paper analyses how identity construction, identity politics, and nation building take the center stage in Indian politics. It also highlights the salient features of right-wing identity politics and their relevance in nation-building. The article   claims that the collective consciousness required for nation-building does not have to be based on a single identity. As a result, ethnic cleansing will result from identities developed out of deep hatred for ‘the other' and identities that seek exclusion. Instead, a non-aggressive and inclusive nation-building process based on the common identities of the Indian Subcontinent is recommended.