What should we eat, wear, speak?
“A good Muslim cannot be a good Indian.” Eminent Indian journalist Arun Shourie said that in an interview he gave to Mani Shankar Aiyer, politician and writer, in Sep 1995. 1995 was a watershed year for the BJP. The influence of the Congress Party had dwindled significantly. The Shiv Sena-BJP coalition came to power in Maharashtra. Gujarat gave the BJP a decisive victory, paving the way for the party’s long-term national rise. Three decades after Shourie questioned the national loyalty of Muslims, the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has asked Indians not to speak English, eat Indian foods, and wear Indian clothes. There is nothing wrong in promoting indigenous culture with its languages, clothes, and foods. But how far should the ruling party go into the kitchen, wardrobe, and living room of the citizens? Food, clothing, and language are not merely public symbols: they are part of daily life, shaped by family habits, personal taste, regional identity, and individual comfort. Once politi...
