Unseen divisions
India is an Union of states. Too many of them actually. Unity in diversity, as was/is taught to us in schools. But this has also created many divisions amongst us. So many languages, so many cultures (whats that?) and so many cuisines!!! As a result, at workplaces we often see statewise pools. Can we blame them? Not really. India does not have a national language. It has official langauges and they also vary from state to state. Does not one feel comfortable in speaking in one's mother tongue? Don't you and I feel comfortable at home? And that is precisely the problem. Because of such regional divide, unfortunately, biased decisions are made, whether personal or professional.
There is one more problem. You see, before India became an English colony sometime in 1800's or perhaps earlier, there was no such thing as India that we see today. The subcontinent was very much divided into many parts ruled by various dynasties. After independence though, many states were united into India. They were,mostly, actually annexed. The question now is, just who decides if a state should become a part of a country or it should continue remaining a state? The problem now is that many north eastern communities in India do not consider India as their homeland. They feel, India has economically drained them by using their natural resources and has given them back nothing. And that is perhaps true to a large extent too. Similarly there is a struggle in Kashmir at the same time. Tamilians,on the other hand, feel that the central government always tries to impose Hindi on them, while in Maharashtra the Shiv Sena does not welcome outsiders.
So the disturbing question is, was the making of India a wrong decision? Were we better off as independent states? I do not know the answer to this question and several others like this one. I am a proud Indian and like it the way it is with all its faults and shortcomings. But as an Indian I can not neglect this growing feeling of detachment as well of the fellow countrymen.
Boundaries that man makes, boundaries that man can not see.
There is one more problem. You see, before India became an English colony sometime in 1800's or perhaps earlier, there was no such thing as India that we see today. The subcontinent was very much divided into many parts ruled by various dynasties. After independence though, many states were united into India. They were,mostly, actually annexed. The question now is, just who decides if a state should become a part of a country or it should continue remaining a state? The problem now is that many north eastern communities in India do not consider India as their homeland. They feel, India has economically drained them by using their natural resources and has given them back nothing. And that is perhaps true to a large extent too. Similarly there is a struggle in Kashmir at the same time. Tamilians,on the other hand, feel that the central government always tries to impose Hindi on them, while in Maharashtra the Shiv Sena does not welcome outsiders.
So the disturbing question is, was the making of India a wrong decision? Were we better off as independent states? I do not know the answer to this question and several others like this one. I am a proud Indian and like it the way it is with all its faults and shortcomings. But as an Indian I can not neglect this growing feeling of detachment as well of the fellow countrymen.
Boundaries that man makes, boundaries that man can not see.
posted by F-ftOS at 4:05 PM
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