** ** ** ** * * ** <http://Jharkhand.blog.com> * J H A R K H A N D . B L O G . C O M* <http://Jharkhand.blog.com>
** The missing Indian HISTORY PROVES that the loosening of moral bonds is often the first stage of disintegration of a civil society. We blame the British for their policy of 'Divide and Rule'. But unfortunately this policy is still followed in our country. India and Pakistan were formed in 1947. If it weren't for Sardar Patel, India would not have been divided into two territories but 200 units. Our politicians are undoing what Sardar Patel did today. Till date we are dividing the older states into new ones citing better administration but the fact is that we have multiplied bureaucracy and perpetuated casteism, regionalism in doing so. Every country has one common binding factor for its survival and existence. Without a binding factor, 'Unity in Diversity' is hollow phrase. I guess that one factor is missing in India and that factor is 'Indian'. When we leave 'Indian' behind then the regional factors, such as linguistic, racial, religion, casteism, among others, are become stronger. These factors ultimately threaten the principle of national integration. Casteism is one factor that has become a tool for gaining political power. How many times do we see that caste of a person takes precedence over being an 'Indian'? Regionalism is another factor. The concept of 'Sons of Soil' is causing greater intolerance towards people who migrate from one state to another. Instead of showing far-sightedness and tackling these issues with courage, our politicians run for cover. Regionalism and casteism are getting bigger than our identity as an Indian. To gain political mileage and promote regionalism and casteism, Mayawati wants Uttar Pradesh to be divided into three states. There is demand for separate Telangana in Andhra Pradesh. We have already seen that the states, which were divided previously, have shown no sign of progress. But the politicians have made their playing field bigger by doing so. It is a common saying that "What we learn daily, we become perfect in that." Politicians are trying to make each of us realise that we belong to particular community, speak specific language, have different cultures and this is leading us to feel that we are not 'Indian' first. Regional and vested issues are taking the place of national issues. We are perhaps the only nation where apartheid is practiced with the consent of citizens. Thackerays have already excluded South Indians, Muslims and North Indians from their own Mumbai. The Assamese kill Bihari workers at building sites. In Orissa, Sangh Parivar attacks Christians and the chief minister looks on benignly. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu fight over the issue of Cauvery water. Narendra Modi wants to protect Gujaratis all over the world but is not concerned about Gujarati Muslims in his state. Karunanidhi seeks mileage by hurting religious sentiments of people by making derogatory comments against their belief. Vilasrao Deshmukh is not perturbed by farmer's suicide in Vidarbha. CPM advocates privatisation in West Bengal but will block the economic reforms at the centre and an important nuclear deal with US. Akali Dal will release the photo of destroyed Akal Takht just before elections to arouse feelings of Sikhs. YSR is working extremely hard to provide reservation benefits to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh. Congress is finding ways to implement the Sachar Committee report to gain political space among Muslims. Christian priests are luring poor people for conversion to increase their numbers. A party will advocate Hindutva but will not do anything against those who don't allow people from lower caste to enter the temple and fetch water from wells. Mayawati wins the elections by playing the card of 'Sarvjan' but after coming into power is just talking about reservations everywhere. She is also playing the casteism card in Rajasthan to lure the Gujjar community. Every year India is being divided. The people of India are being divided and being labeled as Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Sindhi, Kashmiri but not 'Indian'. An 'Indian' is finding it very difficult to live in this hostile atmosphere. We have failed miserably to bring about a spirit of unity among the citizens of our country. Sir John Strachey had said that there was no such thing as India. It was just a ragbag of different languages, religions, regions and tribes. How right he was. If you don't agree with him then you need to prove him wrong. Let me tell you that you cannot hope our politicians and older generation to do this for you. Our political values have plunged so low that it does not take courage to do wrong. It takes a lot of courage to do right. So we must realise that the onus to save 'Indian' lies with us - the youth. As author Shiv Khera says, "When evil forces unite, it is time for the good to join hands and become a force." But I would like to add that in order to make that "force" more effective, we need more youth to get involved in politics and matter concerning our nation. We must sense that the 'Indian' is the only factor, which will determine the future of India. merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130397 'Sena not against Biharis but Bihari politicians'<http://www.ibnlive.com/photogallery/729.html> *Mumbai:* When it comes to making inflammatory comments against North Indians, there is little to choose between the two Thackerays – uncle Balasaheb and nephew Raj. If Raj says "North Indians living in Mumbai care only for their respective states", Balasaheb has now gone one step further and just stopped short of calling Bihari politicians criminals. It has put *Saamna*'s Executive Editor and a party MP in the hot seat, trying to defend the lines carried in Wednesday's editorial. "We are not against Biharis, but against politicians who have ruined Bihar," explained the party mouthpiece's Executive Editor, Sanjay Raut. But the damage has already been done and even as the Shiv Sena was walking a tight rope between Hindutva and the Marathi manoos agenda, prominent politicians from Bihar jumped into the fray. While some exercised restraint, some felt Thackeray needed a bit of tit-for-tat. "Mumbai belongs to everybody. If somebody wants to threaten us, we will send more people there," said Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was equally vociferous. "I will request the PM to call a meeting of both the leaders of Maharashtra and Bihar on this issue," he had said. "Biharis don't need any certificate." Back in Maharashtra, the government seems to have developed cold feet. While Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh is making the right noises, there is no sign of action as was in the case of Raj Thackeray. "We will take legal advice on this issue. If required, we will also take action against Bal Thackeray," Deshmukh said. With elections in Maharashtra next year and General Elections likely later this year, it is apparent that the two Senas are engaging in political one-upmanship. Caught in this political crossfire is Mumbai's North Indian migrant and Maharashtra's reputation for being a progressive, tolerant society. ibnlive.com/news/sena-not-against-biharis-but-bihari-politicians/60542-3.html Biharis are an affliction, says Bal Thackeray Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, in an attempt to overtake his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray's campaign against people from north India, termed Biharis as an affliction, and said they were unwanted in all other parts of the country. In an editorial, titled 'Ek Bihari, Sau Bimari' (One Bihari, hundred illnesses) in the party mouthpiece Samana Wednesday, Thackeray said: 'They (Biharis) have enraged and antagonized the locals wherever they have settled. The MPs from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have also exhibited their ingratitude to Mumbai and Maharashtra by their anti-Marathi tirade in parliament.' The ageing leader warned that the so-called Bihari leaders, by accusing people of Mumbai of harbouring 'anti-national sentiments, were attempting to again breathe fire into the anti-north Indian feelings in Maharashtra.' They must realize this would only put their brethren here at the receiving end, he added. Some parliament members from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh recently opposed the campaign against north Indians settled in Maharashtra, which was initiated by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MSN) led by Raj Thackeray. It resulted in sporadic violence against north Indians, especially Biharis, in several parts of the state in early February. Following pressures from different quarters, Raj Thackeray was arrested and was gagged by the Mumbai police for the past three weeks. The gang order was upheld bya civil court later. (Staff Writer, (c) IANS) indiaenews.com/politics/20080305/102252.htm<http://add.my.yahoo.com/rss?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/indialatestnews> The Thick Skinned Biharis Binita Tiwari Have you heard of a national gali? It's Bihari. Have you heard of the thickest skinned people? It's again Bihari. Have you heard of people who can survive all the indignities? Yes it's Biharis? Yes they are the people who are shot by ULFA, they are the people rebuked everywhere for their acnts, they are the people who are beaten in Mumbai. Ironically the people of the two states (UP and Bihar) are accused of plundering the wealth of the states where they migrate to work, I was not knowing that Maharashtra's road side vendors and taxi drivers are so reach and well off that they can give competition to Raj Thackeray. The incident in Mumbai where people were seen being helplessly beaten on the road, in the train showed the extent of animosity for these people who came here to earn a life, lead a hard up life on the pavement, seems immune to uncouth treatment as they are to cold and hot humid climate. The chocked voices, the pleading hands while they were beaten were the picture of people who know that no body will speak on their behalf, for their life is not precious to create a wave across the political arena, for their voice will go unheard. Raj's statement that accused Amitabh Bachchan of favouring UP his home state instead of Maharashtra clearly showed that this man lack understanding and wisdom. After the statement there were stray incidents of violence against North Indians but Raj defended his statement, will he prove his genuineness by asking the all NRIs not to invest in their countries and remain loyal to the country they are working. Can he question Tatas whose bases are at erstwhile Bihar? Can he negate the contribution of labourers from these states to Maharashtra's economy? This is again a calculated strategy of a novice politician who does not have his feet pinned on the ground to woo voters. But is he sure that Mumbaikars will vote for him for allegedly bringing bad name to the state, for hitting hard to the backbone of democracy? Earlier too Raj Thackeray's men were involved in beating up North Indians appearing for railway exam on Kalyan and Thane Railway station. Maharashtra is the only state in west of India where growing influence of non- Marathi people has been a major concern, the Marathi ethnocentric party Shiv Sena of Bal Thackeray gave the slogan Maharashtra is for Maharashtrian in 1970's , his ire against Muslim is a well known fact and against South Indian in 2002. Though the senior Thackeray now hums a different tune unlike his old ones. But trailing on the same path the amputated arm of Shiv Sena Maharashtra Navinirman Sena of Raj Thackeray has stirred the controversy once again. His party workers like wild dogs went on a hunting spree targeting the Biharis and UPites. The submissiveness of police was very much evident that they were the moot supporters of the crime and Raj Thackeray. Bihar with golden history is shrunk to its abysmal law, the state is now known for its gundagardi, for the burden of poverty with least of the civic senses, corruption and unemployment. But it is also true that at the cost of Bihar other state developed, it was a mineral state with rich natural resources, the industrial policies that chose Bihar as the destination were very much aware of the presence of cheap labour there. Yes the Biharis were foolish that they never raised the issue that they never asked for decent life. Many other politicians too justified the violence saying these people have infested Mumbai with crime so they deserve the beating. Raj is the same person who said that (on Mumbai Molestation case) 'no Maharashtrian would behave in such way' so all the accused were innocent. Such shameless are their justifications. These incidents are blot to our nation where people unitedly fought for country's independence and not for their respective states. Mumbai issue was a question mark on its cosmopolitan nature where people from all part of the country have contributed to its growth. But the cheap political gimmicks to devour the other crisis in the state are not only irresponsible but unfortunate too. Maharashtra Manus Pride are no different from other Indians, such statement can create a divide and inflict danger to human value system. Raj statement that Chhath Puja is drama showed his cultural prejudices against other. But here is a great saying by George Aiken "If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and colour, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon." newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2316 ** ** * * *Jharkhand.org.in/blog <http://www.jharkhand.org.in/blog>* ** * Handiya - The local beer of Jharkhand<http://handiya.blogspot.com/2008/03/handiya-local-beer-of-jharkhand.html> www.handiya. blogspot. com/ <http://www.handiya.blogspot.com/> * ** -- Jharkhand News [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jharkhand Online Network www.jharkhand.org.in/news
