Tolerant India…..

In the last few days one has been reading so much of tolerant India, and intolerant India. First it was ghar wapsi in a tolerant India, and then it became award wapsi in an intolerant India, all rather confusing for one to comprehend leave alone understand.

Tolerant otherwise also could be called easy going, lenient, open minded et all. Intolerant on the other hand could be seen as fanatical, blinkered, biased, narrow minded etc etc

In the prevailing run up for elections to the Gram Sabha and Zila Parisad in Jharkhand, and other States within the Union of India, the candidate has to produce a Scheduled Tribe, or Scheduled Caste, or an Other Backward Caste Certificate, attested by a DM, against which one can contest the election. This is a pre requisite norm laid down by the Govt of India.

So what is this, is this racism propagated, or just a chance being given to people from the SC, ST, & OBC community to prove their mettle ?

Castes and Community, are pitted against each other, people from one state are up in arms against the people of other states within the Union of India. There is a distinct divide between, North and South India, between East India & West India, not to talk of and the N.E. States.

People are divided upon their religious beliefs, which cuts across the entire length & breath of India.

I wonder is all this tolerance, because its happening, & we allow it to happen. Or is it intolerant should someone try to instigate change or a reversal in the system ?

It is oft said that we fight each other in India, only when we leave the shores of India, are we called, “Indians”

In the long years I have spent and lived overseas, and traveled and lived in several parts of the World, in a time like Diwali, things really start getting both interesting and confusing at the same time.

In tiny New Zealand there are close to 20, “Indian Associations” each representing their own specific State or for want of another word their sub set. So their will be a Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telegu, now Telengana, Tamil, Kannadiga etc etc Associatioions. Not to be outdone there even was a good old Goan Association with a membership of 16 Goans !

I recall one Kiwi at the Punjabi Association for Diwali, his presence being sought by both the Gujarati Association, and the Tamil & Telegu Association. The Kiwi was explained in detail the differences between each State Association, be it their distinct culture, food, clothes and dance styles.

After going through details of the of various State Associations, the kiwi turned around and asked me, “heck, are there no, “Indian Associations” ?

So where does all this fit in ? Is this Indian racism at its best or just State Association jugglery?

I recall bringing expats to work in India, wherein the expats without exception were given at the very minimum 50-80 % more in rates than their Indian counter parts.

This would be rates racism, being propagated by Indian Companies in India !

When viewed askance, tolerance, intolerance, racism, bigotry, caste politics, religious differences, ghar wapsi, award wapsi, USD / INR rates, dark skin & fair skin, all go into the one melting pot, called, “India”

Soak it in & chill !

Jai ho., Never Give In..

Sanjiv T Lall