Patriotism and Social Justice

Recently the whole Vande Mataram issue, which has been a fertile controversy source over the years, flared up again. Several columnists wrote about it, several bloggers blogged about it and several experts said things on TV. This blog stands for absolutely uncompromised individual freedom so I am of course opposed to making Vande Mataram or even Jana Gana Mana mandatory. Forcing someone to do something against his wishes in the name of patriotism is wrong.

What I find interesting however is that several people who are opposed to making VM mandatory in the name of patriotism, seem to be completely OK with trampling on other sorts of individual rights in the name of social justice. Interesting and unfortunate.