I noticed a very disturbing trend today and do not quiet know which direction we are heading. Much has been written about Raj Thackeray and his politically motivated speech on certain community of the country but unfortunately, that is making quiet some negative impact amongst commoners.
I was in the busy “Andheri” station today morning, trying to get into a train. I generally avoid this station, as this is one of the most crowded stations in Mumbai suburbs. Being an industry hub now, there are as many commuters taking a train out to reach “Town” as there are, who are coming to “Andheri” from different parts of the city. It is always a struggle here to walk down the staircase or in the footbridge, you actually do not walk you just move with the push that you get from behind and for people who come here everyday it is just a way of life now. The situation was not different today and there was huge rush. Push was coming from all direction, and in between all that I hear a voice of a lady accusing some people in the crowd as “ you North Indian, you should leave Mumbai and let us leave in peace”. To my surprise, when I look back and I found the voice was not of a political barber but from a lady who looked educated and well groomed. I am not defending the people whom she has accused, she must have had good reasons for doing so, but why bring in which part of the country they are from here…are they not Indians and over all are the not human.
It has been 5 years since I have moved in Mumbai. Whatever cribbing we go on doing about the city and its thankless infrastructure, it is our city. I have started my family here, my daughter is born in this city, I have built my own house here, and for me home is Mumbai. I am sure there are thousands like me who has made Mumbai home from different parts of the country. The one think we all are proud of this city, is its cosmopolitan nature where all communities can leave peacefully with each other. If we do not want to speak English so be it, but then speak “HINDI” which is our national language as per the constitution. If I have an affinity to learn languages, then I will surely pick up other regional languages but how can I be victimized for not knowing a regional language in my own country. We have already been divided post independence in the name of religion and we all know what that has bought… hatred and wars. What Britishers have done to gain control, dividing us in the name of religion, this mighty politicians are doing that for their stake, amongst different communities belonging to different provinces of the same country.
The shame is not in what politicians are doing but what we educated people are doing, harnessing hatred about each other, and thereby going one-step backward in our progress as a nation. How does it matter if one is an Uttarpradeshi, Bihari , Bengali, Gujrati, or Maharastrian, at the end of the day we are all Indians. Why cannot we invest our energy in fighting away terrorists and working for social causes rather than harnessing such nasty inhuman behaviour?
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