In these modern increasing divisive times of 'the Right vs the Left' phenomenon around the world, be it in Britain, America or in India, objectivity is slowly losing it's relevance and partisan, hysterical narratives striding to dictate political & ideological dispositions all over.
Here's how frustrations on both sides seem to be playing out around the world- Right feels the liberals have hijacked their ideas of identity & nationhood under the streak of disingenuous political correctness, economic disparities and minority & immigrant appeasement. They are frustrated with liberals' exaggeration of minority victim-hood, sloppy responses to external national threats (viz Islamic radicalization) and constant callousness towards the wishes and desires of the majority population - or the perceived founders of their respective nations, who think are the only ones wearing nationalism as a badge of honor. Liberals on the other hand are constantly resorting to the counter-theatricals so as to check nationalism from turning jingoism, or worse racism or communalism, while themselves crossing the line of liberal & democratic values, going overboard in their narratives in giving the same exact biased impressions as above to the right wingers.
In India for example the whole intolerance movement was such a phony contrived propaganda that it pissed off even the 'moderate' rightists and made their alienation from liberal views even stronger. Sure due to BJP in power their ideological affiliates have emboldened themselves in the form of 'cow vigilantes' and anti-muslim or more specifically 'anti-anti national' rhetoric. Sure we need to mow down these cow-protecting fascists, student-beating holier-than-thou nationalists. But liberal counter-narratives haven't been an unbiased and constructive one in this regard. From 'award wapsi' brigades to the over-the-board 'Kanhaya Kumar sympathizers', they have simply contributed in aggravating their 'Congress bias' images lending the divide stronger. And finally now on the Kashmir issue, both sides - right & left - have lost the plot completely. Right is exasperated at the sight of stone pelting protesters (and their sympathizers) when a legit terrorist was brought down by Indian Army. Left wants a balanced narrative to highlight the larger Kashmiri political issue at a time when police & armed forces are embroiled in a fierce battle with the local & Pakistan influenced protesters and when the Army's morale is being challenged by shouts of fake encounter. I am not an expert on the Kashmir conflict but have been intrigued by it since childhood and can vouch for the fact that its too complicated to be simply reduced to a debate of Nationalism (read Indian Army) vs Terrorism (read Pakistan sponsored). Until the time both mainstream India and indigenous Kashmiris learn to deal with the problem with a sense of maturity & bipartisanship, I want to thank the heavily partisan Indian media for leading us back a thousand strides into the abyss of aggravated alienation.
Coming closer here in the United States, I feel such an uncanny similarity in the political & ideological landscape between the two countries right now (with the caveat that at least during election year in India the agenda was more development centered) - a clear divide between right & left! Right conservatives are frustrated at the unfounded political correctness on part of the democrats - from not acknowledging the seriousness of 'Radical Islamic' terrorism to ignoring the illegal immigration issue and above all sidelining the welfare of white 'founders and owners' of the country. The whole 'Black lives' vs 'Blue lives' matter rhetoric smacks of similar majority vs minority debates back in India played out by the equivalent Right & Left ideologues. I specially find it funny & paradoxical when my right wing BJP leaning Indian fellows here conveniently support democrats to save us all from a potential Trump inspired minority & immigrant backlash!
Human race is and has always been conveniently ideological and hypocritically partisan. The ideas of nationhood, religion and race have just been our selfish tools for survival. There's nothing ever painted in clear black or white in life and everything including human minds and their professed ideologies is simply a smear in the shades of grey. But we continue to choose to dwell in our extreme far right or left narratives losing the sight of our inherent 'grey' disposition along the way.
