Nationalism, Separatism and Secessionism/Sajal Nag. 1999, 242 p., ISBN 81-7033-496-8.

Contents: Preface. 1. Prologue. 2. Nationalism: integration. 3. Separatism: trifurcation. 4. Sub-nationalism: multiplication. 5. Secessionism: disintegration. 6. Epilogue. Bibliography. Index.

"The advent of British capitalism in colonial form was not only destructive but also regenerative to the formation of nationalities. At that time several linguistic-cultural communities were in different stages of growth. The Indian freedom struggle coincided with the period of awakening of these communities and their graduation to nationalities. The rise of these nationalities manifested themselves in the form of agitation for recognition to their respective vernaculars, separation from advanced nationalities and movement for formation of unilingual provinces. After independence, these movements gained intensity and demanded greater regional autonomy. This book asserts that without the inclusion of these sub-national currents, any understanding of the making of Indian nation would be incomplete.

"Most ex-colonial qualities confront perpetual secessionist threats and India is no exception. The roots of secessionist movement can be traced in the polity formation process of the Indian nation. With the change in the character of Indian state, the marginal status accorded to the smaller nationalities and the hegemonic designs of the majorities led many of these nationalities to question the legitimacy of Indian rule over them. They appropriated the nationalist discourse and started demanding independent nationhood for themselves. While Pakistan succeeded in seceding from India, many such claims continue to rise and threaten the integration of the nascent Indian nation.

"This book asserts that the history of modern India was as much a history of the making of Indian nation as it was, in essence, of its unmaking. Unfortunately, the available textbooks on modern Indian history preferred to tell us about the rise of nationalism and freedom struggle only; sub-nationalism, secessionism and separatism do not become part of these books. This work aims at fulfilling this acute need to some extent and stimulate further debate on the issue." (jacket)

[Sajal Nag is Reader in Modern Indian History at the Department of History, Assam University.] 

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