Book Review – ‘Post-Truth India- The Brand New Republic’ by Syed Ali Mujtaba

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By Syed Ali Mujtaba, Copy Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO; ‘Post-Truth India-The Brand New Republic’ is released by Mittal publication, Delhi. The book captures different themes of contemporary India. The central argument of the book is  Indians are now living in a new India which is different from Nehruvian India.

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 The author narrates the nuances of the ‘Post-Truth India-The Brand New Republic’ in 20 chapters which has a time span of 2014 -2022.  The book gives several examples to explain what is ‘Post- Truth India’. The author gives demonetization, and handling of the Covid -19, as examples of Post-Truth India.   He explains that what is not true is Post-Truth and this is the swan song of contemporary India.

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The book builds the argument that India under the BJP rule is witnessing the mixing of state and religion and both are seen getting entwined. Indian nationalism has become synonymous with the Hindu religious identity. That is to say, the Nehruvian vision of the Indian republic is getting blurred and a new identity of India has emerged that the author calls ‘The Brand New Republic.’

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The book “Post-Truth India-The Brand New Republic” argues that the BJP’s supremacy has been established due to mixing religion with politics. A new template of politics has emerged in India riding the wave of Hindu nationalism. This symbolizes the BJP’s vision and mission to promote the cause of Hindutva and to make India a ‘Hindu Rashtra.’

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The BJP’s slogans India first is a smokescreen for Hindus first and furthers to the BJP first. By saying India first, BJP actually means party first tantamounts to above the country’s interest.  The BJP’s decision on August 5, 2019, about J&K, is an example of the party. Similarly, the BJP’s decision to make Ladakh a Union Territory is for the same reasons.  Both these decisions of the BJP were meant for the consolidation of its Hindu vote bank where the party’s interest was above the country’s interests.  Their failure has harmed India more than the BJP.

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The other argument of the book is that the BJP is drawing capital by pursuing anti-Muslim agenda. This agenda serves the BJP’s interest very well. The BJP has developed an 80-20 model, where 80 percent of votes can be consolidated ensuring the party’s victory as long as the democratic form of governance is practiced in India. The BJP is not bothered about India’s image being sullied as it has reserved the words socialist, secular, and democratic republic to the books alone.

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Post-Truth India-The Brand New Republic’ concludes that India is on the cusp of choosing two diametrically opposite paths; one that is currently underway making the ‘Brand New Republic’, camouflaging with the ‘Post-Truth India’. The other is to change the course of Indian politics which right now is on its extreme right and bring it back to the centrist position where it was before.

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The book makes the prophecy that the dialectics of materialism will guide India to a decisive path. This can happen through a decisive mandate by the people of the country.  Indians will do a course correction and decide the direction of change that India is going to make in the days ahead.

The author is optimistic that this path certainly will be for peaceful coexistence, with unity in diversity, secularism, and pluralism as its creed. Such principles can alone establish an era of peace for the prosperity of the country.

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Curated and Compiled by Humra Kidwai

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