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Being a
Bihari in India of today
By T. V. Sinha
Aug. 23, 2008 |
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The home
minister of Goa, a politician by the name of
Ravi Naik and belonging to a national party –
The Indian National Congress, recently made some
rather unprovoked and disparaging remarks about
Biharis while intervening in a debate on beggars
in Goa.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Trains_from_Patna_bring_beggars/articleshow/3381301.cms
What is more, when pointed out that his comment
is in bad taste, he has refused to apologise for
his highly provocative statement.
http://www.patnadaily.com/news2008/aug/082008/nitish_criticize_goa_minister.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Goa/I_never_said_Biharis_are_beggars_says_Naik/articleshow/3386446.cms#write
Funnily, he admits that he talked of the train
from Patna to Goa when intervening on the debate
in Goa assembly on beggars, but says he should
not apologise because he never called Biharis as
beggars. We know that politicians specialise in
taking people for a ride, but does he take us
all for complete nincompoops? What was he
attempting if not making a disparaging statement
about Biharis?
It pains to say that that this minister belongs
to a national party.
The unfortunate thing is that this person is not
the only one of his ilk. Some time back, the CM
of Delhi Sheila Dixit had made a statement that
problems of Delhi are due to the influx of
Biharis. At least she had the good sense to
clarify her stand and apologise if her statement
had hurt the sentiments of people. But the Union
Minister Anbumani Ramdoss who made the rather
provocative statement that UK derecognized
Indian medical degrees due to inept Bihari
doctors did not deem it necessary to apologise.
What to talk of politicians, journalists and
academics show similar attitude. Rajdeep
Sardesai, editor of a national level TV channel
chose to denigrate Bihar when he wanted to draw
attention to the shortcomings of Maharashtra. Dr
Ashish Bose, a retired govt servant who all his
life has drawn his income from the consolidated
funds of the Govt of India proudly declares that
he coined the epithet BIMARU. Even official
planning commission records use this derogatory
term. In the last 25 odd years that this term
has been in use, Bihar has slipped lower and
lower in all economic indices as such thinking
took away the dignity (Asmita) of the people of
Bihar who could not muster the courage to demand
what is rightfully theirs. Even high court
judges have publicly made statements derogatory
to Bihar and Biharis when the case they were
hearing had nothing at all whatsoever to do with
Bihar.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hyderabad/MBBS_scam_in_Bihar_style_HC/articleshow/2212504.cms
It is truly sad that even people holding such
responsible positions think nothing while making
such chauvinistic statements.
One reason why people make such statements and
get away with it is because we as Biharis have
never protested it. In fact, some among us even
justify these. (The other reason is of course
the lack of economic development in Bihar, but
that is a separate topic in itself requiring
another post). Ravi Naik and others of his ilk
have no sense of the damage they cause by their
utterly irresponsible statements. They have no
understanding of the impact of their statement.
Not having a liberal outlook, they just go by
their ethnocentric instincts. They also have no
fear of a reaction, much less, a reprisal. They
are smug in their belief that what they are
doing is right, howsoever reprehensible their
behaviour may be.
If we do not wish to see our youth and our
poorest of the poor, the two most vulnerable
sections of our society stigmatized any more, we
as a civil society will have to take proactive
steps to correct the situation. This constant
barrage of insults will only stop it becomes
expensive for people making them.
As a first step, I would strongly urge that we
make an appeal to the national leadership of the
congress party: the PM Dr Manmohan Singh, the
party president Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and its
General Secretary Mr Rahul Gandhi to rein in
their ill mannered minister. I am sure if
thousands of signatures are put, they are bound
to notice it and some action will be taken.
I would like to make a request to the PatnaDaily
team to examine the feasibility of putting up a
petition for this on their esteemed website
where patrons can put in their names. If for
some reason it is not possible, we can examine
other means.
However, if we do not protest such blatantly
abusive statements, we will have no one but
ourselves to blame for the continued insults
heaped on us.
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Comments: |
I
admire this post from Sinha Ji.
I would like to make a group of well
meaning Biharis from all over the
world and share our time and money
to file a case in Patna High court
or Supreme court to punish
politicians, media houses etc. for
making such derogatory statements
leading to regionalism and creating
more problems for Bihar and its
people.
Only a court order will help this
situation. We can't depend on our
politicians to set this right.
I volunteer to take the lead. Please
write to me onthis address
if you are committed to work towards this goal. - Deepak Kumar
- Aug. 24, 2008
I
fully agree with Mr. Sinha. -
Abhay Kumar - Aug. 24, 2008
It's really a great initiative. We
have to take this issue seriously.
Please make more people aware about
this especially among the youths. It
is better late than never. - Appu
Kumar, Buffalo, NY - Aug. 26, 2008
Very nice and thought provoking
article. I remember a parody of a
patriotic song "Netaon (political
leaders) ki dagar pe bachcho dikhao
chalke, yeh desh hai tumhara kha jao
is ko tal ke".
We can't really help the bad scene,
still everyone should raise a voice
against this and all kinds of
corruption. - Zehra, USA - Aug.
26, 2008
I
know after reading the post by Mr
Sinha, most of us went through the
same mental agony caused by
provoking statement by certain class
of leader infested with sectarian
politics who let loose their dirty
mind speak to hurt sentiments of
thousand of self respecting Biharis.
We won't take down our hurt pride
but indeed we vent out our means to
take on Electronic Media, Print
Media and Politician alike. So
hereby , I call upon one and all to
fight this menace and brought to
justice to these hoodlums. I could
not control myself and i already
shot an email to Mr Deepak Kumar to
find the legal way to let taste them
"intellect of Bihar".
Mr Sinha You deserve encomium from
all quarter to bring this issue to
the fore. - Andalib Rahman, Saudi
Arabia - Aug. 26, 2008
I
belong to UP and I fully stand with
Biharis in their drive to get back
the lost glory/asmita of Biharis.
However, it will not happen just by
wishing so or organising signature
campaign. It will be much effort
with little gain. First recognise
that respect comes from power (both
economic and political). Nowhere in
the world are poor and weak given
respect.
Biharis should help their government
in "MASSIVE" industrialisation of
Bihar so that employment
opportunities are locally available
and people leave the low paying
agriculture sector.
Also, I believe moral corruption of
the Biharis is their biggest enemy
as compared to people of other
states Biharis are very selfish and
do not take care of their community.
This is depicted in the manner in
which Bihar politicians give very
little aid to their people while
boasting about themselves 100 times
more (see Lalu-Nitish war of words).
What kind of people are those who
are unaffected even if lakhs of
their fellow Biharis are drowned in
floods every year? People are only
interested in making ill-gotten
money.
I beg you people please take care of
your neighbourhood (keep it clean),
it will go a long way to improve
your situation. Citizens should take
initiative like in Delhi to improve
cleanliness, greenery in Patna and
other cities of the state.
Wishing you people all the best. I
am sure very soon (within 15 years)
Bihar would join the front ranking
states of India if it moves on the
path of economic development,
friendship with industry and say no
to politics of caste. - Shaleen
Mathur - Sept. 11, 2008
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