Intolerance breeds in many ways….literally …
The uniqueness of my country is in its diversity. Regions, religions, languages, traditions, customs and many such features create enormous beauty, obvious complexities, evident friction and immense pain.
I feel blessed to be born to a Christian mother and Hindu father as secularism comes naturally to me. Caste has no significance once the omnipresence and omnipotence of one single abstract god is established. Regular visits in temple and church reveal that rituals are there only to create a divine atmosphere in an attempt to define the undefined power.
What perplex me is how beliefs which are personal by definition, are used to build strong enough prejudices to take lives and hurt people
I also believe the boundaries of my country are sacred and are already under attacked from all sides, in this climate fighting over region, new states and languages is a foolish proposition.
In fact any viewpoint which does not go by the principal of “live and let live” is sacrilege for my diverse country.
So I detest when some of my countryman say “I hate Hindi”, “Biharies should not study in Dehli and work in Mumbai”, “Homosexuals have polluted blood”, “Valentine day celebration pollutes the culture”, “Unmarried girls a liability for their parents”, “AIDS is a social stigma”, “Same Gotra marriages are not accepted” …
I am cringe when the leadership of my country use Lord Ram, castes, sympathy with Hindu and Tamil extremists, indecision on border disputes, inaction on naxalites … to get and then stay in power
I get depressed when I see the future generation not questioning the irrationalism … and I can never understand that though incredibly populated, how can human life be so cheap in my country?…
By the way I am also guilty of intolerance … at times I question my own fiercely radical thoughts, my idealism, my own inflexibility, my inability to fake the acceptance of reality, my oversimplification of problems and their solutions, my arrogance at my good intent, my lack of circuitous approach and my obsession with harmony …
I guess I am nothing but a fundamentalist against fundamentalism …
4 comments:
In my view, Fundamentalism is the given Fundamental Right of every citizen of India. How? They have right to "Freedom of Expression & Speech", "Freedom to form Associations & Unions", "Freedom to assemble peacefully without arms". And just these three spokes can easily umbrella a citizen to exercise "Fundamentalism". There had been lot many criticisms over Fundamental Rights so far, but very few amendments were passed.
I respect your views over countrymen who say "I hate Hindi", but do we ever express the "love" for Hindi? When did we last pen down something in Hindi, including the blogging we do?
Some of the questions which should be shooted to ourselves:
1. Do I contribute to GDP of India? How much? What potential do I hold to contribute?
2. Do I care buying a final finished Indian Products?
3. If today Govt. of India offers me a platform to serve India at Rs.50,000/month (6Lacs/annum) will I fly down from US after rejecting $85,000/annum?
4. Do I have zeal in myself to Praise & Propagate the positive colors of India, like Swami Vivekananda did?
5. Do I cast vote to select my Leaders?
6. Do I know what today UPA Government’s Agenda is?
7. Do I measure on scale how far they are able to stay on the committed Agenda?
8. Do I know formal way of filing RTI (Right to Information) if I am stuck on the questions I need to ask the Government Officers?
9. Do I know the historical analytics on India, to measure if we have made the progress? Did I ever try to get in depth that which year average age of women at their first marriage became 18? It was 1969. What is the average age today? It is 20. What was it in 1947? It was 15. And what we compare is with other developing countries like China, where present average age at first marriage is 23. But what are the Literacy Rates between India & China today? They are 52% & 89% respectively?
10. Do I just discuss these topics and show-off my intelligence on blogs, forums, meets, or do I really put some effort and contribute to the betterment of India to make the people out of BAD-Fundamentalism?
There is no end to the list of questions, but have we started on any one?
feel kicked bout me country wen all this is shown on Discover
India programs..
"The uniqueness of my country is in its diversity. Regions, religions, languages, traditions, customs and many such features create enormous beauty"
I detest, cringe, get depressed wen all its flip sides are shown on our news programs..
"obvious complexities, evident friction and immense pain."
till the "LIVE, and let LIVE" hits us all, we jus gonna be..
Fundamentalist against fundamentalism..... ;)
(with echo effects... :D )
Fundamentary, Pretty.
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