You Need Anti-Nationals Before You Can Have the Nation: Tanika Sarkar

Eminent Historian Tanika Sarkar discussed, at the Idea of India conclave, the complex nature of hate and hate crimes. According to her, the types of hate crimes in our country have suddenly changed under a well-planned strategy.  First there was Ram Mandir violence, then conversion related violence. Even under the Modi government, 2014-15 was dedicated to Love-Jihad, then 2016 became the year of assault on the so-called anti-nationals. This constant shift makes it even more difficult to form a full understanding of hate crimes, which subsequently makes it difficult to counter them. She also discussed the change in the nature of mobs. Historians have always identified the mob as the desperately dispossessed but now we see students, professionals, lawyers, middle class men and women forming the killer mobs.