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# Footnotes on citizenship from rural India
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/footnotes-on-citizenship-from-rural-india/
- Published: 2013-05-09T11:05:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-22T10:52:01.000Z
- Description: Contrary to the dominant narrative of a vibrant democracy with a strong record of integration, many in India are in effect non-citizens. Citizenship cannot reach its potential unless there is a commitment to achieve equality and justice in practice. (Video, 33 mins)
- Author: Bela Bhatia
- Tags: India & South Asia, #Migrated, Politics & activism, Mass or elite movements?, Emerging powers related, Oecumene: Citizenship after Orientalism, Democracy and government, Civil Society, India, #en, #Import 2026-04-09 16:28, #ImagesUploaded, #appended-excerpt

See also the [interview with Bela Bhatia](http://www.opendemocracy.net/openindia/bela-bhatia/corruption-and-change-in-india) on corruption and change in India. *(7 minutes)*.

*This video is part of a series published this week from the Oecumene project's second symposium, '*[*Deorientalising Citizenship?*](http://www.oecumene.eu/events/2nd-symposium?ref=opendemocracy.net)*'. All of the videos will appear on the* [*Oecumene: Citizenship after Orientalism*](http://www.opendemocracy.net/freeform-tags/oecumene-citizenship-after-orientalism) *partnership page, which is funded by the Oecumene Project and the Open University.*

![An editorial partnership with Open University](https://www.opendemocracy.net/content/files/2026/04/OUEPLOGO_1FuGObo-1776329477741.png)

An editorial partnership with Open University

Contrary to the dominant narrative of a vibrant democracy with a strong record of integration, many in India are in effect non-citizens. Citizenship cannot reach its potential unless there is a commitment to achieve equality and justice in practice. *(Video, 33 mins)*