Neo-social-groups as new nationalities

As explained in the previous lecture, the neo-social-groups are emerging as new nationalities. One of the most important problems that India is facing at the moment is that of the tension between Indian nation and various nationalities in India. Here nationalities are defined as groups of people believing in a common history and a common future. India is divided into several nationalities on the basis of culture, religion, language, geographic division, and common mythological origin. People who belong to the same cultural nation may or may not inhabit a particular country or territory. After independence India was declared one sovereign nation but this did not put an end to conflicts between multiple nationalities and conflict between Indian nation and nationalities. These conflicts manifest in various secessionist and separatist movements, arguments in favor of or against uniform civil code, demand for special grants and reservations, and hostility towards migrants.

Initially, in India people defined themselves in terms of religion, language, regional political identity, village and caste. Having achieved division of country into linguistic states linguistic identity lost its appeal for national mobilization except in states where people speak different languages or the history of linguistic groups is confounded with other hierarchies.