The news seems to blaze each and every news channel for weeks now ...
It has been and still is the hot topic of discussion whether its CNN-IBN or NDTV or BBC ...Oh, lets not forget the vernacular news channels.
India's dignity was shredded... an ignorant britisher passed some comments on the eating style of a indian bollywood star. This screams racism!!
The Bristish media and the House of Commons was quick to condemn it.
The world was quick to condemn it.
Back home, in India, protests broke out everywhere.Indians all over were quick to retaliate against so called racism.The communal riots in Bangalore and Mumbai was forgotten in the noise,lost in the hue and cry-'how can anyone criticized the Indian life-style'. For that one second in donkey's years, Indians at home and all over the world unite in one voice.
Strange, that we are ready to raise heaven and hell because a foreigner, alien to our culture, in her lack of wisdom, questioned the eating style of our Indian sister;Will we do the the same if an Indian says the same thing to an Indian brother?
I am from the unobtrusive picturesque land of Shillong, in Meghalaya.W e are part of a group of people addressed as the "north-easterners' by the mainstream Indian. I used the word 'mainstream' not to be offensive but to bring out the stark irony we live in.The North-Eastern people have always been looked at with what i called 'the jaundice eye'.Yes, our culture is different from the gujurati's of western india, or the kannadigas of southern india, or even the kumaoni's of north india.But in the midst of our differences, the bottomline is we are Indians.
We are a group of people protective about our cultural roots but also gifted with a sense of humour. Often we have been teased on our looks ( addressed as chinkies), our food, our life-styles.We take it all in our stride. We laugh along with the rest of India.Ask me, i can relate many such stories.Infact, by laughing along with such jokes passed in good-spirits, it became an ice-breaker and i have formed many long-lasting friendships.
But all is not spic and span.
Sometimes, the merry-jokes crosses the limits of proprietary.
Our hands our tied. We cannot retaliate. We are out-numbered.
The hot-headed or the valiant amongst us who dares to raise our voice, only end up 'digging graves for ourselves'.We cannot expect to strive socially and in our professions if we don't 'grin and bear'.
I wonder if this is not racism?
I am sure this is not an issue that only the so called 'chinkies' faces. The gujjus, the mallus ,the biharis etc must be going through the same ordeal.
Oh yes, you say this is inevitable. Afterall we live in India where people of varied cultures live and strive. It is only natural that such differences arises.
True.
But, before we set the world in order, why don't we set our country in order?
Before we point a finger at a person alien to our Indian culture, why don't we embrace our differences first?
Atlast, one can only sigh and say ' It is all but a comedy of errors'.
(Disclaimer: This article is not meant to scandalise your senses and defintely not meant to offend anyone (truth is hard to swallow??). It is not a denial that racism does not exist in our society.It actually show how anesthetize we all are.Ofcourse,there are bigger problems out there. But i surely hope we do not lose our humanity in the process)
Hi yet....I never thought how a north eastern feels or what are his/ her thoughts...until i met you.....i remeber;you showed me the News Paper in the Library an article was published on the same issue during our MBA...i was not even aware of the furor in north eastern region, the cause for it or the problems faced there. It was quite astonishing to hear the facts from you, as how the strength of the young generation is wasted interms of illiteracy,Drugs and ultimately falling in the hands of extremists.
ReplyDeleteI know i have no right to comment on lifestyle or the way the problems are being handled in north east or Kashmir or Andhrapradesh for a simple fact that I never faced the problems they are facing, I alwayshad the privilages as equal rights,protection fromlaw as anybody else here....and sittin here i dont want to pass judgement on the people who are facing bullets there.They may have there own reasons.
Saying this at the sametime I also want to know a place where there is no discrimination ? Every one cribs about discrimination. In India Muslims crib about dicriminated as minorities...same muslims crib in pakistan for Shia or Sunii.... or in Arab countries same muslims are treatedlow as expatriates. When indians go to america they are discrimmiated. Forgetthe expatriates in there own land Afroamericans are discriminated. Every where there is racism...discriination..either based on religion, caste, complexion, Language...on and so forth...... but does that mean we blame on the system? Nope....Its in human nauture....wether bengalis, mallus, gujjus ormuslims orsouth indians or north indians...doesnt matter. there are bad people in every community.at the same time there are good people in every community....now its up to you to see only the bad people whomake jokes or hurt the feelings or look at goodpeoplewho feelyour pain as theres?
Well said Zia!!!:)
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by your style...never seen this side of you before. I think u should write more often.
As for your comments...Being away from home for so many years,i think i can safely say i know who meant well or who meant harm in their comments.This article is a 'celebration of our differences'.It celebrates the 'Human-nature' in us. It also celebrates 'the ability for each human to do what is right, good and practice tolerance and acceptance'.
I appreciate your thinking and where you come from.But the motive of my article is misunderstood.Thank you Zia.