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Apathy Everywhere
By Vishal Sinha
May 21, 2008 |
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We are now
about 3 months from the atrocious
anti-northerner wave in Maharashtra. Score of
Biharis were attacked. Thousands fled their
homes to return to Bihar leaving their
possessions behind. Many lost their livelihood.
Bihar based political activists raised slogans.
Burnt effigies of Raj Thackeray. Shouted at
Governer Gavai. Mr. Nitish Kumar had high level
meetings with his Maharashtra counterpart. Mr. L
P Yadav gave rabble rousing sound bites to the
national media. Oppression of Biharis and other
northerners was the prime topic in newspapers
for weeks together. And the butt of jokes as
well.
Now 3 months later. The situation is still the
same. Not that violent, but the underlying
threat remains. MNS has asked the non-Marathi
vendors to report to their nearest MNS offices
to get a 'permission' to ply their trade.
Marathis are being encouraged not to purchase
goods and services from non-Marathi shops or
service providers. Some workers who fled
Maharashtra have come back. Livelihood is a
stronger driver than safety I guess. There has
been no solution. Nor steps to arriving at a
long lasting non police oriented solution. So we
lurch from one crisis to another and life goes
on...
Welcome to the largest democracy in the world.
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