I am an Indian!!
Panchtantra, a collection of short stories, is difficult to comprehend. Same action is described as right and same action is described as wrong in a different story.
Indian Mythology, in Mahabharata and Ramayana, has highlighted that it is alright to deceive others, if they are your enemies.
I love my country, but lately, I have begun to feel a certain kind of disgust against the people of my country.
We are the supposedly the biggest democracy in the world. Yet, the common man is almost hapless. There is no freedom of doing things which one feels like, even though if it is allowed in the constitution. In the Maharashtra assembly, an MLA is physically assaulted because he chooses to take oath in the National and Official Language of the Country instead the language of the state. MLA Abu Azmi is manhandled by the MNS MLAs and it remains to be seen what our judicial system does to the people who assault him in front of all the elected representatives of the people. The political fiasco in the ruling camp of the state I am presently residing in, the common man watch in amazement how to groups of people were fighting like cats and dogs only few days back and suddenly decide to put everything beneath the carpet and walk hand in hand. To shove pieces of cake in each others mouths. For the simple reason to put the equation of money and power in balance.
An educated person, a person many people look up to him for his fine qualities, preaches regionalism on his blogs. Even though, as a child, I remember how we were taught that the colonials used a simple technique of divide and rule to overcome our defenses against them.
A colleague explains the trouble he has to through to get his marriage certificate, even though he has all the necessary documents, with whom another colleague jumps in to share his experience on how to get his certain property registered and how the agent claimed that the cut goes to the very top level.
A stranger meeting with me by chance, asking me my native place. Asking which one is better so that he can hear some praises of his native land from my mouth. And getting agitated when I highlighted the points which I don’t like or claimed are better in my native.
The granting of the permit to shoot a certain movie, based on a prominent figure of Indian history, only if the script is changed as per the government, so that no harm comes to the image of that person. Even though there may be some truth or there may not be.
A movie being banned in India, because it builds on subjects which used to happen in the past and which may hurt the sentiments of the people of the country. But, it is allowed to screen in the country and infact appreciated very well, just because it won an Academy Award.
The group of people who vehemently agree or disagree with certain subjects and deeds, without having their own reasons, but of those they were taught from childhood by their parents, which in turn taught the same thing by theirs.
The group of people, to which I belong, who just crib about the things which are not right, sit in their chairs and type a sorry reading post on their blogs.
I sometimes wonder, are we really that democratic? Do we really have that freedom which we claim or feel we do?? Or are we just trapped in our own understanding of the system around us without having a clear picture of the reality.
I am proud of my Country, of India. Of its beauty and of its eccentricity. But strangely, I am beginning to have a contempt towards the people who have taken over it and claim it to be theirs. I am beginning to have a strong dislike for the person who says I am an Indian!!
I guess the change of mindset (or otherwise) will start once we start taking things in our hands instead of expecting a certain ‘them’ to handle them. I can relate to the underlying frustration in your post. But I guess we also choose to curse the so-called system and everyone else instead of doing something. You rightly pointed it out in the post.
One of the things I strongly feel about is the concept of ‘outsiders’ even in your own country. The concept of ‘Indian’ is limited to discussions where our “sanskriti” is compared to that of other countries. But inside, we all ahve our own sanskritis and customs, which we think, are far superior than that of others.
I wonder if we are united even at the state level. At the national level, it begins with religions. Then there are the states. And within each state, there is a north and south state difference. And then comes the provinces. And then there are the cities and towns. And then there are areas in those cities and towns. And then there are neighbourhoods, and then the ‘sanskriti’ and ‘sanskar’ of individual families. I guess we are united nowhere, not even in our families.
You know, I still see a silver lining. The fact that you and I and some other like-minded people can see through this facade gives me hope that not all is lost. Next, we need some action.
Good post, btw!
I understand that u feel strongly against the way and the reasons for which Abu Azmi was physically assaulted. BUT is it justified to hate the whole country just because of one old gunda, two young gundas and a couple of followers. Why do u forget that the incidence was criticised by 95% of the population, the concerned MLAs of MNS were suspended, and the MNS party leader was given legal notice under section 153 (a) of the IPC which states that legal action would be taken for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, language, place of birth, residence and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
The Indian Mythology, in Mahabharata and Ramayana, has NOT highlighted that it is alright to deceive others, if they are your enemies. I think u have misunderstood it my dear friend. The message that Mahabharata and Ramayana pass is that it is all right to lie if it is for the benefit of someone. And also that it is okay to fight against your blood relations if one is fighting evil.
As I read your strong opinions on the behaviour and attitude of some Indians, I wonder why is it that u do not comment on Indians that r being assaulted and murdered in Australia. Is it just because Australia is a developed country?
Why is it that in your blogs I have never read any comment on America’s attack on Iraq in 2003?
America was backed by United Kingdom, Australia, Poland and 36 other countries. They stated the invasion to be necessary in order to disarm Iraq of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons that were an immediate and intolerable threat to world peace. A month before the invasion, there were many worldwide protests against the Iraq war, including a rally of three million people in Rome. Yet, despite the protests, America went ahead with the war. In 2005, the Central Intelligence Agency released a report saying that no weapons of mass destruction had been found in Iraq. America caused so many deaths and destroyed valuable oil resources only to gain power and economic advantage.
Is it that people like u r scared to point fingers at powerful nations like America and Britain but find it their duty to criticise India for any possible incident they can find.
Why did u not comment on America’s dual policy with Pakistan?
On one hand America declares that terrorist groups are operating in Pakistan and on the other hand America is giving $1.5 billion a year for a 5-year duration to Pakistan. Is this money not used in harbouring the terrorist groups? Would u not call it hypocrisy?
And yet it has not been criticised by people like u who would not forget to find faults with the Indian system.
What I mean to say here is that it is not justified to criticise or blame the whole country just because of the actions of a particular person or leader. One needs to have an open-minded approach, respect people for what they r and not for the religion, race, colour, caste or country they belong to. The people of India, America, Britain, Pakistan or any other country should be judged on the basis of their individual traits, like their beliefs, opinions, knowledge and their individual actions irrespective of the actions of Raj Thackeray, George W. Bush, Tony Blair, or Pervez Musharraf
So, even if people like u cannot do something for the country, it is high time u stop cribbing!
Just to make it clear, when I say ‘people like u’ I mean “The group of people, to which I belong, who just crib about the things which are not right, sit in their chairs and type a sorry reading post on their blogs.”
Why do you feel it is only one old goonda and two young goonda’s? I feel that kind of enmity amongst even the lay man at some level or other, and that too, not only now, but far back from my college days. Is 95% of the people this way or the other??
Volumes of a story cannot give only one meaning/moral. Benfit of someone is someone’s loss (if the deeds are done which affect at a single person level).
The way and reason for which Bali was killed in Ramayana and Dhuryodhan and Vishwapitama were killed is prime example, how Indian mythology potrays it is ok to bend rules, or trick people in order to get job done.
And for that matter, Mahabharata, was a story of two sets blood relative fighting over a peace of land and nothing else. I wonder how it is win of good over evil.
And, about the attacks on Indians in Australia. Although I don’t approve of it, but have ever wondered why only Indians?? And no colored, filipinos or chinese. I think I precisely understand why they are attacking them. The utter inconsideration of the sorrounding which we Indians have when travelling is it not the part of it? Have you never felt that tinge of irritation when group of young men is travelling in a bus or train?
There is more…and I can keep talking about… but…I think I should stop.
For the American War, look at the post ‘American Foreign Policy’ (available in must read scribbles). There is a reason why it is there.