Topic: The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
1. Dadabhai Naoroji, throughout his career, stressed an Indian national identity which overrode religious, caste, class, or ethnic differences. However, India today is in critical need of remembering Naoroji’s brand of nationalism. Critically discuss. (250 words).
Reference: Indian Express
Why this question?
Dadabhai Naoroji was an Indian first. He was the first modern Indian economic thinker, the first Indian elected to the British Parliament, and the first leader to establish swaraj as the goal of the Congress. But Naoroji was an Indian first in another important way. Throughout his career, he stressed an Indian national identity which overrode religious, caste, class, or ethnic differences. Over a century after his death, India is in critical need of remembering Naoroji’s brand of nationalism.
Key demand of the question:
One must discuss about the contributions of Dadabhai Naorji and his brand of nationalism. Discuss about the challenges being faced in achieving such nationalism in today’s India. Provide the measures needed to strive for a more inclusive India.
Directive Word:
Critically discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of Answer:
Introduction:
- write a few introductory lines about Dadabhai Naoroji. E.g Dadabhai Naoroji was a legendary Indian political and social leader, academician, and intellectual. Famously called the ‘Grand Old Man of India,’.
Body:
Discuss in points his social, economic and political achievements in his role towards India.
Now argue that India is in critical need of remembering Naoroji’s brand of nationalism.
- In all of his political activities, the Grand Old Man of India, as he was known, strove to be inclusive. He laboured to secure minority participation.
- Today’s stark majoritarianism, under the banner of a very different form of nationalism, represents a striking betrayal of foundational principles that Naoroji bequeathed to India.
Provide measures that is needed to strive for a inclusive India which takes along all sections of the society towards developmental path.
Conclusion:
Based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
