RACISM - The darkness within ..

Well my previous post was on Love… Now I will move from Love to hate. It’s on the exact opposite side of the spectrum of emotions.

Scenario I

Well some time ago there was a lot of hue and cry about Shilpa Shetty and Jade Goody. Some were pitying Shilpa others were angry on Jade…but one thing was there for sure this whole episode generated a lot of resentment in the hearts of the Indians.

Scenario II

A few days ago a group of lowly workers and masons from U.P. and Bihar were attacked upon, insulted and beaten up by Raj Thakrey’s men. Before that we heard Uddhav Thakrey saying that Mumbai is ONLY for Mumbai Kars.
But the most astonishing thing was that no one stirred. The same Indian massed who raised a hue and cry about SS were quiet, there was not even a murmur. I want to know WHY?

Time and again we have seen / sometimes faced Racism. Racist sentiments are very common and prevalent in a foreign country and that is understandable and explicable (not that I support it or am trying to justify it). But still we feel resentment towards feeling of hatred that is prevalent in racism.
But have any one of us has ever tried to oppose or even comprehend that why should these feelings be prevalent within the country.

The same country, the same constitution, the same set of corrupt leaders to rule it and the same exploitation throughout but still we can hear slogans like “Mumbai for Mumbaikars” or “lungi hatao pungi bajao” etc.

It’s not only about Mumbai or Maharashtra alone…. It’s across the country. We saw in Assam the disastrous consequences of the ULFA applying the same logic against Biharis who had to flee for their lives. And let's not forget that the people who were targeted and killed and the larger numbers who were chased out were not recent migrant labor but those who had lived in Assam for decades.
Another dangerous portend is the flaring up of passion in any native-versus-outsiders debate.

This racism is not only limited to region, it has expanded to Caste, Culture, Creed, Religion and Origin.

What Sonia Gandhi faced at the time of the general elections was not opposition from the other parties. What she was subjected to was RACISM.



Has any one thought as to how a country that was once so united and strong that it drove the British away, has broken down into such small fragments?
How such a magnanimous and great nation has fallen prey to racism.
India which can boast of being ruled by kings and monarchs of Hindu, Islamic and Christian origins (and still being united at the grass root) has been divided into small segments of caste, creed, gender and religion.

This I would say is not the failure of the culture, but would attribute it to the success of dirty and petty politics and politicians.

This country has been divided by political parties who for their own personal gains have sowed the seeds of racism. Today we have a separate party for Dalits, one for Hindus, one for Muslims etc. But where is the party which is truly secular.

The preamble (preface) to the Constitution of India states:-


“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.”

The Preamble to our Constitution serves two purposes: -

A) It indicates the source from which the Constitution derives its authority;
B) It also states the objects, which the Constitution seeks to establish and promote.

The Preamble seeks to establish what Mahatma Gandhi described as The India of my Dreams, "…an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice; …an India in which all communities shall leave I perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of unsociability or the curse of Intoxicating drinks and drugs. Woman will enjoy as the same rights as man."

Each of the words “SOVEREIGN”, “SOCIALIST”, “SECULAR” & “DEMOCRATIC” have a world of meaning behind them.

Are we actually living up to the expectations of our forefathers & of our great leaders?

NOW Is the time to ask ourselves “Is this the nation our ancestors fought for”?
Is this the nation that was once united against the British and the tyranny of East India Company?
Now is the time to ask our leaders that is this the way they want this country to be led?
Now is the time to ask, what is the future that we are bequeathing to the generations to come?

I remember one small phrase from my Sanskrit class that can sum it up : “Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam” (The world is a Kutumb (family))

Lets all now take a vow –

“I shall in all manners possible and permissible permeate the feeling of oneness and fraternity. I will never look at others with a feeling of difference based on gender, caste, creed, region or religion. And that I will always strive to bring harmony and brotherhood amongst everyone I come in contact with. Also I will at all possible opportunity try and make people understand the importance of vasudhaiv kutumbkam and treating everyone equally.”

May god give us the strength to make this dream a reality.