Taking A Stand Against Nationalism

Over dinner talks....

Friend to me,  "Say, Bharat mata ki Jay" ( Long live motherland India)
Me, "Bharat mata ki Jay" ( With a Grin )
He,  "Say, Pakistan Murdabad" ( Let Pakistan be doomed)
Me,  "Ohh common , I wont ever say that..."
He,  "It shows you have no love for your country you are born in, Country which has given you everything from identity, to living, to protection against same Pakistan you are fond of.."
Me,  "My Love for India is not a function of showing detest for Pakistan. I love India and love Pakistan too.. And I believe that there should be no conflict of interest between my feeling for two"

When You take a stand which is against populist nationalism in countries over the world , such events become perpetual part of your life. Some end with banter while some even go till tempestuous accusations. They start complimenting you as Pseudo Secular sometimes even Ingrate to India. I feel frustrated but then I believe that being ingrate to humanity is more important than being Ingrate to India. Sometimes I wonder, I still get away with my affection for Pakistan  as I am born into Hindu majority family of India. But if I was born Muslim, they would have tagged me as traitor, terrorist or whatever so easily. This desultory labeling is  product of disease "Nationalism" which most of us suffer from. Nationalist just love tagging people. Nationalist tag all Kashmiri Muslims as terrorist because their dumb neurons will never let them comprehend that many Kashmiris could just be what Bhagat Singh was for India. I sometimes wonder for people who believe British were evil colonizers , are now hypocrite in case of Kashmir ? People whose ancestors fought for so long for right to self determination are so blind to same demand raised by Kashmiris ? Nationalism making us blind to facts and honesty, blocks rationality and our minds becomes fortress of banality. The first seed of this blind nationalism are sowed in our schools when we learn that map of India containing Pakistani kashmir and Askai Chin as integral part (Atoot Ang) of India. Why are we not taught they are land of long dispute between countries? Why are we not taught truth and facts in first place? With mind obsessed in nationalism, you become blind to fact that we can be wrong at times, we can commit crimes and sins too. While any fact presented to us which conflict with our nationalistic ideas bring cognitive dissonance to our thoughts and we look for blame outside especially on weak and minority. Moreover those who manage to unlearn these fallacious teachings to discover and relearn the truth are termed as easily termed as ingrate or traitor to country.

Coming back to debate, I dont hate Pakistan because I don't find a reason to hate it. A country is made up of people who live in. When I talk to ordinary Pakistani, he is no different than any ordinary Indian. We have idiots lost in Nationalism on both sides. Though still I could find more self  introspective people on that side of border. Just like they will blame us for Kashmir living hypocrite when it comes to balochistan issue, we will blame them for attrocities on minorities keep closed eye on perpetual human right violations here.
So what separates the people of two countries? If I judge by human quality, If I have to hate Pakistan then I have to hate India first. Some might argue that Pakistani establishment has been Anti India from its very beginning. But truth is same thought process is prevalent on this side of border. India will blame Pakistan for 1965 aggression, Terrorism support in Kashmir and Punjab, Kargil war and Pakistan will blame India for Kashmir occupation, Siachin aggression and interference in Bangladesh civil war. Truth is both countries have to tried to inflict as much damage as they could have done and again there is really nothing to choose between to the two when it comes to idiocy . Both countries have piled up expensive weapon and nuclear arsenal while keeping millions starving. Pakistan being a smaller country, will face paranoid of bigger country more and hence we find more dependence on defense establishment on that side of border.

Indian Nationalist use propagation tools of slogans like "Hindus not extremist enough" and  "India is a soft state". Such views are practiced even after India has witness some of the most horrific stories in Gujarat 2002 and Delhi 1984. This is in spite of heavy militarization from Kashmir valley to North East states. Cheif culprit in 1984 Anti-Sikh roits "Sajjan Taylor" enjoyed political life in Z Security and architect of 2002 Anti-Muslim riots is in race to be probable Prime Minister of India. Fact that Narendra Modi is seen as penecea of Indian Problem tells a lot about how much this disease of Nationalism has crept into Indian Minds. At one side we are ready to forgive (even accept that he was involved) Modi for his crimes and to accept him for highest working post of this country while on other hand we are so blood thirsty nation yelling death for Ajmal kasab and Afzal Guru. Its the barbaric hypocrisy of our nationalist society. A killer is a killer, no matter he is Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Indian or Pakistani or whatever. Will we rise above prism of man made classification of a humans by Caste, Nationality, Region, Religion, Color and start looking any person as human first? God must be regretting for creating humans made same by DNA but we ourselves took the task of division and associations. Its just due to our gregarious needs where we lack confidence in our individuality and look for associations based on Nation, Region, Color, Caste and Religion.

Regionalism, Caste-ism are not very different from Nationalism and are infact subset of it. Plight of Biharis in Maharashtra or Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir is a consequence of same thought process on which Nationalism is based upon. They all invoke same feeling of identity instigating into tag - Us or Them. We can not think of removing one from society keeping others roots deep intact in society.  For example for a Jat who is nationalist will go defensive once he will hear about rumors against Khap Panchayat. Because for him both are part of his identity and more he is close to his clan, this tribe-ism will take precedence over Nationalism much to discomfort of staunch Nationalist. This is because Nationalist believe in one size fit all approach for whole Nation. This is no different than what Pakistan believed that only religion can bind two East and West Pakistan together. Even for all their problems, nationalist have same blind reasoning and solution. Be it for kashmir, Manipur or Chattisgarh. This superficial thought process keep them away from ground realities and truth.

Hitler said, “The effectiveness of the truly national leader consists in preventing his people from dividing their attention, and keeping it fixed on a common enemy.”. Bush has used it successfully in USA, Pakistan Army has used it Pakistan, Chinese communist party in China, Putin in Russia, BJP has used it successfully to rise to power from ashes in India. This obsession to seek line of fault on others than to seek within thus creating a sense of false perfection and pride within that community . Nationalist leader use utopian dream and combine them with unacceptable desires to sell it to masses. While talking of restoring culture and giving sense of group identity they profess that existence of other group somehow puts their own survival at risk. And to survive they have to mobilize in own identity grouping based on caste, tribe, nation, religion, language and build a shell around to keep out foreigners (who doesn't fit into majority). And with this habit whole blocks of millions or tens of millions of people can be confidently labeled good or bad. Individuality looses its value and what remains is superficial tagging.

This Nationalism and Religion are just opium of masses.  They are no different when it comes to common disrespect for the individual, their intolerance for the necessary private margin of dissent and disbelief which keeps us all free. Religion and Nationalism though pitching for equality human values and right, have been greatest cause of loss of human lives and human rights through out history. When religious community based majoritarianism seek to capture the state, they can be nothing but exclusionary, discriminatory, intolerant and prone to use violence against minorities, secularists and dissenters. 

Before we were Jews , Hindu , Muslim, Punjabi, Marathi,.. We were Humans first.. And interestingly we still are; We have just forgotten it..

When ever I am asked about my identity, These verse of Bulley Shah play in my mind..

Bulley Shah Dee Zaat Kee Puchni, Shaakar Ho Razayaan.
Do not ask Bulleh Shah his caste identity; Be thankful and be content with the lord’s creation(Human)
 

Nuclear deal

I just love Indian Politics. Samajvavi Party once big betenoire of congress is now an ally and is in full support of a deal tagged as anti muslim(god know how???) by BSP,BJP and Left....
Now just a look at what is this nuclear deal and why is there so much fuss about it....??

123 Agreement

* The legislation amends Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. It lets the US make a one-time exception for India to keep its nuclear weapons without signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

* Under the amendment, India must separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities, and submit civilian facilities to inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).(India says 14 out of 22 reactors are civilian)

What are the objections to the agreement?

Nuclear deal has provoked controversies in both the countries.

• For Indian View : The Communist Party of India , the main opposition to the agreement fears the imperialistic policy of US. They also fear that this deal may tie our hands when it comes to national security as we cant act with sovereignty when it comes to tests but our PM M Singh has already refuted such claims.Also there is no mention of testing or detonation in this bilateral agreement

• International and US View : Critics call the terms of the agreement overly beneficial for India and lacking sufficient safeguards to prevent New Delhi from continuing to produce nuclear weapons. While India has pledged that any U.S. assistance to its civilian nuclear energy program will not benefit its nuclear weapons program, experts say India could use the imported nuclear fuel to feed its civilian energy program while diverting its own nuclear fuel to weapons production.

Why is the deal important to US

Energy is the biggest issue in 21st century .No doubt Power will be the biggest requirement for an economy to grow at high pace or lag behind .New Delhi, which relies on imported oil for some 70 per cent of its energy needs, says nuclear power will help feed its rapidly expanding economy. The energy break-up stands somewhat like this:

* Coal and Coal Products: 58%
* Crude Oil, Natural Gas Liquids and Natural Gas: 37%
* Nuclear Energy: 1.3%
* Hydro Electric: 2.6%

On the energy front India, to-date, relies heavily on fossil fuel.And just a result we have power shortage in most of the parts in India and it is a major deadlock in expansion of concerned industries (just a indication that how the stocks of some companies roared up with news of SP support for nuclear deal) Dedicated power would enable us to operate irrigation pumps on electricity and save money on diesel. Railways, which consumes one-third of total diesel, can run on electric power if we have uninterrupted power supply.Electricity is a major part of infrastructure commitment by the govt and our PM is doing the right thing by just promoting it by all possible means. Naturally our Prof APJ abul kalam has clearly come out in support of it. I was both surprised, and rather disappointed to see Brahma Chellaney, eminent Professor of Strategic Studies at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research, an independent, privately funded think-tank, and member of the Policy Advisory Group headed by the Foreign Minister of India, write against the nuclear deal.Is it just a egoist crap???
Some argue that work is going on for our indigenous technology for thorium but again we are not sure how many years will it take and we will still require uranium to start it when our own reserves( 0.8%) are depleting too fast...
I just cant understand how some people like Left are so short sighted .Karat was asking for a similar deal with china.Now that is perfect example of making a national and economic issue though a political party ideology.After all how can they be pro-US.......Its same Left and fathers of BJP who were strongly against "Green Revolution" in India thinking it to be agricultural colonization of India by US.Had they been successful India would still have been a biggest begger in the world. Same was case when India was opening up its economy in last decade.I wonder some people just wanna live poor rather than going forward.
World is moving at high pace here and we have to run with it. China, Russia have signed billion-dollar nuclear deal in them .Iran,Pakistan and others are also looking for such opportunities... This deal to me has far more pros than cons..US may have their profit in maintaining power balance in Asia but in long run India is only going to benefit from it(Deal is initially for 40 years).Except India most of the world is looking at it as all big India benefiting deal with India getting better deal than other countries like China.India just need power so this deal is utmost requirement of India. Just a thing to be looked at will be how our PM Manmohan Singh presents their demands in deal.
I not only advocate Indo-US nuclear deal(which some are seeing as Indo-US political deal) but also such deals with Russia(like we are having for new reactors in Tamil Nadu) , France and other countries.After all i want to see India self sufficient in power and i wanna see electricity in every village 24*7.This will be the first step in improving infrastructure of villages which are feel still don't belong to new shining India.

Gujjar As ST ,Meenas and Reservations

As a School boy I use to be very racist. Born into Jat family, I grew up hearing stories and listening to the traits of Jats from elders (and even from people of other castes) about jats being some sort of special caste in world. As I started to read and search on this, it was supported by facts like British naming jats as “Martial race “and about valor of Jat Regiment ,their true spirits a Kshatriya….. .I slowly developed this feeling that Jats are among most courageous, fearless and highest placed caste in world. But here the last adjective got a little setback to me in 1999-2000 when Jats of Rajasthan except bharatpur and dholpur distt were given OBC status by Govt of India ( exception in two distt may be because Jats ruling history was too known in these districts).I began to wonder what OBC means to Jats…. Have they now lowered themselves in social classes in India or are Jats of Rajasthan are inferior to Jats in Haryana, Punjab? Maybe answer was somewhere else. But this move saw many Jats making a shift in their political inclination from Congress to BJP, Indeed it was a huge vote bank. But then next question which came in my mind was …”What made Jats in Rajasthan as OBC than other castes in Rajasthan? Was it social backwardness? I guess that was never palpable .Then was it Economic? Maybe… Maybe not as I had seen jats in western UP to be effluent people. So best thing came to my mind was it is just a political appeasement... My family decided to settle around Noida .If they would have rather decided to settle in Jaipur or I would have taken admission in NIT Jaipur instead of NIT Surat , Why would that have made me entitled to gain educational and other reservation benefits . Just by moving 100-200 km one suddenly becomes backward or forward?

But one thing I best learnt was ...”Going down the social ladder helps folk climb up the economic ladder “

Just Imagine a condition : “A multi millionaire Meena IAS officer's boy is studying without paying the fees whereas the Brahmin who works for class D for the IAS pay fee for his son in the college “ .Will discuss it but lets first look into Gujjar ST thing first .

I just thought… what the recent outbreak of ire implied??
a) that these Gujjars aren't responsible human beings who cannot think beyond their ST status
b) that they probably do not deserve what they're agitating for
c) that they needed to resort to tantrum-throwing on a large scale to bring attention to what they want
d) that they couldn't behave like adults and find out a more peaceable way to solve their problem
e) that they are confounded tribals who engage in primitive and savage actions if you dare ruffle their feathers
f) that they expect themselves to be taken for tribals sitting in the Capital and therefore being absolutely non-geographically-isolated (which is a major requirement for being a ST)
g) that they think blowing up vehicles of mass transport is a great way to prove themselves capable of handling their ST status - if any

Now I am trying to look into it with a historical view…

In 1947 British left India, but their strategies were carried by the Indian politicians. Reservations, that which was put in the constitution with a very noble idea of uplifting the depressed, began to be used as an effective tool to gather votes from specific castes.

The Gujjar`s ST demand is just a mix result of political rhetoric and caste made turmoil which has prevailed for so long India. Let’s just try n look at this issue with respect to other castes in India espl Meenas and political propaganda with future aspect

Gujjars or Gurjars basically nomadic tribe who r believed as ancient immigrants with relation to Huns have mostly employed themselves in occupation of animal husbandry, from Himalayan footholds to plains mostly concentrating themselves in North West region of India. With time they even had their few kingdoms in various parts of north India at different times in history .They have been in all Varna with some at par with Kshatriya varna and while few have been in Brahmin varna like gaur and some have been even placed in Shudra varna ( Its impossible to discuss complexities of varna as who and why belong to which Varna of the four available Varnas ). Various places in India and Pakistan like Gujarat in India and Gujrat and Gujranwala in Pakistan shows their deep influence in Indian subcontinent.

Meanwhile, the Meenas who are now arraigned against the Gujjars getting the ST status also have an interesting history.

Meena or Mina another predominant caste in western India , whose correct origin is unknown as to they were indigenous or migrated tribe believe their lineage from matasya avtar of lord Vishnu .They are believed to be original rulers of mataysya kingdom (now Rajasthan) but degraded in power in Rajasthan after Rajputs ,Jats and other communities takings control of kingdom and land .

The similarity between the Gujjars and the Meenas appear over the way in which the British treated them.

During British rule esp. after 1857 Gujjars and Meena were listed in criminal tribes and they further degraded their cause of status in society, it may be seen that both had belonged to a much higher caste order and were later relegated into Criminal Tribe during the Imperial rule later abolished by govt of India in 1952. At that time Gujjars and Meenas were almost equal in society with respect to economic and social standings in society. Initially a certain section of Meena (of rajasthan) were given ST status in reservation and Gujjars were later given OBC in Rajasthan and UP.

Meena who are again The Zamindar Meena , The Chaukidar Meenas , Parihar Meenas and The Bhil Meena (Tribal). in society with Zamindar and some Chaukidaar Meenas even enjoying status equal status to Kshatriya in society were better placed than most of Gujjars in that region. ST status was ought for tribes in Meena (Bhil Meena of southern Rajasthan of Udaipur belt) but due to political game got extended to whole society. so in subsequent years Meena got better in advantages than Gujjars in Rajasthan so Gujjars started feeling at disadvantages and started enjoying better advantages of govt services and education with Meena taking lions share of ST pie.

When out of politics advantage Atal bihari Vajpayee decided gave economic and socially stable JATs OBC status in reservation .This made a direct impact on Gujjar share( Jats being 12-13 % in Rajasthan ,Meena 11-12% and Gujjar 6-7%). JAts being economic, socially, educationaly more rich started enjoying greater pie of OBC share. Gujjars started feeling left out. BJP again for their political rhetoric promised Gujjars their ST status and won state election in 2003-04.But Meena who has for long enjoyed the benefits never liked the idea of someone sharing their reservation pie and made open statement to oppose BJP in elections if Gujjars r given ST status…. This made it a web of Politics and caste in Rajasthan and now whole issue is politicized.

Gujjars have been recognized as ST in Himachal Pradesh and J&K, but not in other States, underlying the geographical differences. Despite their recent fury, there has been no attempt on the part of their leaders to articulate their demand for inclusion in the ST list, or how they qualify the criteria. Merely because Meenas, a community similarly placed, has been in the ST list, does not ipso facto sustain their claim. And why they thought they are the only people who are suffering? Another question is “Will grant of the status solve Gujjars' perceived problems? Or, will it generate a process of schedulisation with every jaati demanding the lowest status possible for the crumbs of the quota raj?” For me This schedulisation is the exact reverse of sanskritisation .

And now Politicos are competing with themselves in achieving the lowest schedulisation possible for every jaati on the assumption that jaati identity is a critical vote-bank criterion. Ain’t there no other way of ensuring affirmative action to undo the status of deprivation? Is quota raj the only method known to a civil society?

. This shows how dangerous this entire vote bank politics game called "Reservations" is. The short sighted politicians have failed to see that they are playing with fire in enforcing and supporting reservations because it is a great dividing force and would divide the country on caste and creed basis. Today, Gurjars are demanding for inclusion of their community in the ST list, Rajputs have already many a times created protest to be included in OBC just of reason "If the Jats can get reservation, why can't Rajputs?" . Meena in MP are in for demand of ST status .Tomorrow, Yadavas would demand listing of their community in the SC list and this game would never end. So, politicians should open their eyes and see to it that all sorts of reservations in jobs and Central Education Institutes etc. are immediately abolished otherwise it is sure that the country would go mess.

There are over 3000 listed castes among the OBCs alone. In a caste-based reservation system is it not inevitable that such demands and grievances will never stop proliferating? VP Singh had no idea about the complexities of the issue when in pursuit of short term political advantage he recklessly unleashed the Mandal formula which itself is flawed

The most ironical aspect of this issue is that reservation on the basis of caste is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court signally failed to discharge its responsibility by failing to enunciate this. Earlier this scribe had quoted Article 16 (2) of the Constitution to assert this. There has been no convincing rebuttal from any quarter until now. If caste-based reservation is constitutional, so would religion-based or region-based reservation be constitutional?

Neither politicians nor the judiciary display the guts to address the issue courageously. The Indian establishment seems totally overwhelmed by false conventions and traditions that are in no way sanctified by law. Unless there is radical reappraisal of India’s political system and culture, the nation will continue to blunder from crisis to crisis.

Over the last 60 years or so, the Scheduled Tribes appear to have evolved into two distinct groups: those who have able to take advantage of the protection and benefits guaranteed to them under the constitution and have been able to decrease the gap in development between them and other communities; and those Scheduled Tribes whom such programmes and protection have failed to reach and who, therefore, still exist at subsistence level with poor health, without education ” jobs and low income levels

I believe the main problem is the "class"ification of the caste. There is wide intra-caste disparity
in income levels, educational and even social backwardness in many castes. That too in large states like Rajasthan with many geographical regions, this disparity in effectuates any serious caste based solutions. Rajputs of Rajasthan are considered backward than Rajputs of MP . A Shekhawati Jat cannot be compared with a Bharatpuri Jat. The Jat in Barmer stands somewhere in the middle. A Bhil Meena in Aravallis is no where near the Meenas in urban Tonk. The problem of Gujjars is even more acute. Gujjars in the upper reaches of Poonch in Jammu, Gujjars in trans-Jamuna Delhi and Gujjars in Rajasthan are a world apart.. Now we see this bizarre spectacle of all of them coming together in the struggle for their brothers in Rajasthan.

Caste is a too large brush, ineffectual to capture the whole picture. We need some other standard of reservation ,maybe economic. Moreover as we saw in Gujjar meena clashes , Caste based reservation has just been perfect for “Division in always divided India“ . The Gujjars and the Meenas seem to have been living most harmoniously before the “socially just” policy of reservation was implemented. And yet, its supporters will have us believe that reservation does NOT divide society.

"Dis-unity in diversity" is certainly conclusive, at least the paraphernalia of Indian Democracy says so.

Who the fuck is Raj Thackeray ?

Is regionalism above nationalism?

For a country as diverse as whole continent africa with more cultures and languages spoken than whole Europe its a proud honor for all us that India stand united as country . True Regional sense of belonging brings some identity but Advocation of Thackeray for Jai maharashtra instead of jai Hindustaan(as said by our minister Lalu Prasad Yadav) looks narrow minded public gimmic for publicity.Modern India doesn't have any place for foolish narrow minded people like raj thackeray. Secularism under Indian constitution makes him guilty of promoting communalism in India and he should be subjected to punishment.

Act of beating UP and bihar people in dadar will only degrade image of mumbai which already is facing prolems in maintaining its old glorius identity as city of modern welcome thoughts.Immigration has always played a important role in growth of city , state or nation.You always need different blend of cosmopolitan people with different ideas and roles in a society . Without this immigration mumbai could never bee this financial capital that it stands now.

What concern do MNS party have for Maharashtra in fighting and roiting and damaging properties .If he questions north Indian`s loyalty we could question his loyalty to nation and like way he should leave India.. Mr Bachchan has only helped our film industry and economy by burning fuels of homes of support staff, technicians, junior artistes, spot boys and others(mostly Maharashtrians ) but what has he done for Maharashtra(i call it India).Again what raj has to say about maharashtrians living in Gujarat, Delhi ,Karnataka and other places of india and abroad for their living .India is free country and as per law we can reside in any part of india and open school and colleges in other parts. But i guess anti-national raj thackeray is unhappy for the fact that new colleges and schools have been opened in india for betterment of girl child. His narrow minded eyes can only see Maharashtra and their too only way to get into power.

Instead of taking on such trivial issues such politicians should better look after farmers committing suicide in Maharashtra .Maharashtra (i will call India) may growing at 9 % or more but if we look closely its only 30% living in cities are shining by it.to make India world competing we have to still look at rest 70% of villages and only when all 100% can be a part of developing India, we will be able to say "India shining"

It could only be a wish that such politicians could rise above their narraw minded thought process and think to capitilise on advantages that we could have in world with our resources and try to compliment our booming private sector with infra dovelopement of transport , power and resources and educating india so that our bane population can be boon for us ..

Jai Bharat