We have to learn to differentiate between racial
discrimination and occasional remarks. India is a country of many faiths,
beliefs and communities. We have to first identify ourselves as Indians and be
confident of our identity. First identifying ourselves as a North, South or NE
Indian and then blaming the others for racial or regional discrimination is a
wrong approach. Every community feels that it is not getting what it deserves
but making it an excuse to blame the rest of the society for racial
discrimination is criminal and also speaks of lack of self confidence. It also
projects that you yourself have an alienated outlook towards your own country
since you feel that your community and region comes first and then the country.
Let us take some ostensible cases of racial discrimination:
- Attacks
on people from North India and Bihar in specific:- did these people say that we
are being racially discriminated or the society does not consider them a part
of India. Did they say that their lifestyle, food habits, culture etc are treated
as those of foreigners?
- All the
famous and not so famous jokes on Khalsas. Do they say we are not treated as Indians?
- Use of
the word “Texan” for Jats. Do they feel alienated?
- Calling
all Agarwals “Baniya”. I never say that it is racial discrimination.
- Calling
a baldie a baldie is never taken as racial discrimination so if somebody
comments on a particular hairstyle, why take offence to it?
These are just a few examples out of a plethora known to all
of us, associated with people from each and every community and each and every
region of India. I am not going to quote any more lest some narrow minded
person label me as racist. Nor I am going to comment on a particular incident
as it is best left to investigating agencies.
I have stayed in North, West, South, Central and NE India.
Any region, other than my own, I feel a little out of place. The vegetable
vendor charges a few bucks extra than what he charges to the locals, a
shopkeeper does not trust me for loan even in an emergency if I run short of
cash, porters charge me double the money…so is with everyone, it is the way of
life. Don’t let it make you feel non-Indian. We must thank our stars that we
are in a country where we can travel across the length and breadth unchecked,
we can go and study anywhere we wish to, pick up a job or run a business
wherever we like. Have faith in yourself, feel like an Indian first and then
create a regional identity. Make the country a better place to live in.
