#NewIndianVocabulary
A for Acche Din. A short note on New India and its new vocabulary
‘New Indian Vocabulary’ began life as a twitter hashtag a couple of years back while I was reading a book called I Bear Witness by Victor Klemperer. Klemperer was an interesting German who was born in a Jewish family and changed his religion to Protestantism and lived in Nazi Germany, survived it and then lived in East Germany. He was a communist. He kept a detailed diary of his life in Nazi Germany between (1933–41). It contained a lot of words coined by the Nazis and it gives us an idea of how it was used and its effect on his life and the people around him.
How we use words hasn’t changed much it in a century. How government and politicians use words too is still the same. How they are amplified or heard or spreads is what has changed and when you read the diary, you realise that it hasn’t changed much. Some of the signs can even be frightening.
Words Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Every decade has its own set of words created and re-purposed to define ideas and action. In India, it is a good time to keep track of the language created and used by the people especially the ones in positions of power now. Thanks to the internet, we also have thousands of people coining words and hashtags every day. And it’s peak being — Covfefe!
The New India
The period before 2014 was no different from what it is today in the use of words but the words seemed to have a lesser impact. Social media wasn’t widespread enough to make a faster or deeper impact even if lynchings did happen then too and the government wasn’t spending as much as it does now to spread its ideas. Yes, we had people coining words too and using them too. The difference is that people who are coining the words have changed. They brought in a new purpose and the words were used for a new kind of India and are a reflection of how much India has changed (or stays the same).
New Indian Vocabulary. Why do we have to talk about this today?
It is good days or Acche Din for new words because each day brings something new and today, the 4th of September is just another day for these words/hashtag. Like any other day, a word or a few of them are trending and being used by the people and will be forgotten tomorrow. Some will live on and acquire a life of their own. One of today’s words is a version of ‘Fascist’ and was triggered by a student in TN who was arrested for calling the party in power at the Centre as Fascist. It’s sad to know that there seems to be a battle of words going on between the right and the left in the country just like in the Nazi times where it was the left that debated or fought with the extreme right.
The back story to this fascist usage is a public prosecutor in Pune indirectly referred to the Central Government as fascists when they arrested a group of left-leaning intellectuals. And is the Government of India really fascist? The answer will differ based on your experiences and reading of the incidents around you.
A short list of new words in the Indian Vocabulary
New India (2014 onwards)
A popular hashtag of the supporters of BJP and why not. We do have a new India but how new the New India feels is up to our own experiences. It was on this promise that the election was won and Pakistan’s Imran Khan copied the same to create a campaign called Naya Pakistan and succeeded too. Now that we have a New India, let’s look at words from the New India.
Vishwaguru Bharat (Old one but used often since 2014)
This gives an idea of where the leaders of India see themselves in the world order. As the new face of an ancient civilisation, they consider themselves the guru or teacher of the world. Are we a beacon?
Modinomics (used before 2014 and the name for the time we live in)
Modinomics was based on reports of how the state of Gujrat has performed under Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister. It is not clearly defined and now that much water has collected and passed under the bridges
Naamdaar and Kaamdaar (2018)
New Indian vocabulary is enriched best by the Prime Minister who is the undisputed master of coining, using and amplifying words. A good example would be this coinage to differentiate between leaders with lineage versus himself.
https://twitter.com/ndtv/status/994091547019825152
Mann ki Baat (post 2014)
The radio show broadcast nationwide where the Prime Minister speaks his mind and ideas to the whole country. Because the Prime Minister does not give unscripted interviews to the media it is where one can gauge his intentions.
This list is endless and is expanding. You can add Swacch Bharat, Demonetisation, the tens of Yojanas and Abhyaans. The interesting change is the use of more increasingly complex Sanskritised words to express the sentiment and advantages of the government programmes.
Namami Ganga (Post 2014)
Ganga action plans have been cleaning the river for decades now. This is the latest version but the name is poetic.
Deen Dayal and Atal (From 2000 onwards)
For decades we were used to names of the Gandhis and Nehru prefixed to programmes. Post-2014, we have a new list of names to reflect the ideology of the new regime which incidentally is not different from what it replaced.
Zindabad and Murdabad are old. These are the words foot soldiers now use:
Love Jihad, Anti Romeo Squad ( Feb 2017)
Political parties need interesting topics to shepherd their members. This was coined to mobilise youngsters in UP ahead of the elections there. After people started making fun of the squad, it was renamed as Nari Surkasha Bal.
https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/827415642257055744
Radhe Radhe (2018)
In Gurugram, the city that was once called Gurgaon, they have repurposed the chant ‘Radhe Radhe’ into a slogan to attack minorities.
Presstitute (the 2010s)
The words BJP politicians and supporters use for journalists because of the slant against them in the news coverage they received when they were not in power.
Go to Pakistan (Post 2014)
A favourite line of the right wing followers to people who appear to be secular or sickular as they call it because it could be a disease. The only problem is that the government does not issue visas if they follow that diktat.
Sickular (see above)
Gaurakshaks, Beef, Beef Festival, Beef Ban, Buff, etc. (Old words with new bite)
Words related to cow protection but are actually ways to inflict restrictions and violence of people who belong to castes that are not vegetarian or Muslims or Christian.
Internet Shutdown
A common occurrence that started in J&K and now very common in BJP ruled states as opposed to the other states.
Culture and gatekeepers names:
Pre Censor Board (Feb 2017)
The film industry makes most of its money on the first weekend of the movie’s release. It is a bottleneck that can be used by political and social groups to blackmail a filmmaker and hence this strange request for a pre-censor.
Constructive Suggestion/Criticism (Post 2014)
When anyone speaks about a policy decision or its effect, the government doesn’t expect you to rant but to offer constructive criticism.
The new vocabulary of caste.
Calling people names to show them their place or to approve of their social hierarchy is an old Indian habit. As Dalits seek education, space and equal rights that are guaranteed by the state, there is opposition from the people with privilege. One way for them to push back the slow change is using words that can be used as a slow and blunt weapon. A few examples:
Baraat Notice (May 2018)
Dalit (Sept 2018)
What seems to be a misreading of what SC said, I&B directs media to use the words Scheduled Caste instead of Dalit.
BHIM
The payment method that was launched on Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary and named after him.
Patalgadi (2017)
Pormboke (2017)
“ Poromboke is an old Tamil word meaning shared-use community resources like waterbodies, seashore and grazing lands that are not assessed for tax purposes. Today, it has become a bad word used to describe worthless people or places. Chennai Poromboke Paadal (song) is part of a campaign to reclaim the word and restore its worth.”
Watch the song here:
Government programmes are usually a jumble of words. UIDAI or Aadhaar, JNNRUM -2 which is now called AMRUT, Etc. Modicare is Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM). Whoever comes and goes, the rulers of India definitely love acronyms. We remember the ones we use, the rest are alive and kicking in their own departments. Give us the strength to use them. At a delegation level talks in China, PM Modi attempted the acronym of an eight-lettered word, ‘Strength’ that he spelt as STREANH. Words are definitely his strength and maybe it was not his day, that day.
