Patriotism

Patriotism is defined as love for or devotion to one's country. Frequently compared or contrasted with nationalism which is also loyalty and devotion to a nation; especially a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups. The difference between patriotism and nationalism is that the patriot is proud of his country for what it does, and the nationalist is proud of his country no matter what it does; the first attitude creates a feeling of responsibility, but the second a feeling of blind arrogance that leads to war.

Some famous quotations are:

• When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish ... Lao Tzu
• Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel ... Samuel Johnson
• It is but refusing to gratify an unreasonable or an insolent demand, and up starts a patriot ... Robert Walpole
• No man can be a patriot on an empty stomach ... William Cowper
• There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism ... Alexander Hamilton
• Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism ... George Washington
• Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it ... Mark Twain
• Patriot is the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about ... Mark Twain
• Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious ... Oscar Wilde
• Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong ... James Bryce
• True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else ... Clarence Darrow
• Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime ... Adlai Stevenson
• Patriotism is looking out for yourself by looking out for your country ... Calvin Coolidge
• A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government ... Edward Abbey
• No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots ... Barbara Ehrenreich
• Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them! ... Albert Einstein
• Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty ... John F. Kennedy
• Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first ... Charles de Gaulle
• If we love our country, we should also love our countrymen ... Ronald Reagan
• I saw courage both in the Vietnam War and in the struggle to stop it. I learned that patriotism includes protest, not just military service ... John F. Kerry
• Unless our conception of patriotism is progressive, it cannot hope to embody the real affection and the real interest of the nation ... Jane Addams
• I don't want to see the military falling. I want to see the military rising to dignified heights of professionalism and true patriotism ... Aung San Suu Kyi
• Dissent is the highest form of patriotism ... Howard Zinn
• Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it's wrong ... Ron Paul

Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel; 

Pseudo patriotism is the last refuge of the incompetent.

My View:
Modi invoking patriotism following fiasco due to his senseless demonetization to cover up his unauthorized decision is nothing but tyranny. His cabinet ministers, BJP MPs, several opposition leaders and even media were suppressed in raising dissent for the fear of being branded as anti-nationals by Modi with unchallenged grip on the country.Propaganda that cashless transaction as a solution with out any infrastructure or public awareness is a diversionary tactic from the man made economic disaster.

Ironically, middle class educated and salaried classes who were in complete disconnect with poor, peasants and rural masses were solidly behind Modi with blind belief that desired results will be achieved despite crores of people confined to queues for over 40 days for their meager cash needs and queue deaths nearing 100 and informal sector grounded.

From the above quotes it clear that dissenting, challenging and fighting tyrannical government which destroyed the nation with its ill conceived, secretly unveiled and unscientific demonetization is patriotic, but not silently co-operating. Modi not taking experts into confidence for bailing out the national chaos with corrective measures and blindly going in the same wrong direction with increasing speed is nothing but insanity. 

All political parties and people should unite and dislodge Modi from seat of power and save the nation from his authoritarian regime, otherwise we will find ourselves ten years backwards with democracy and institutions facing extinction.

Singing national anthem has nothing to do with either patriotism or nationalism.