After Maharashtra, it is the turn of West Bengal
From “CPM Minister’s remarks trigger protests in Rajasthan”
“…Insulting remarks against Rajasthanis in general and Marwaris in particular attributed to Abdur Rezzak Mollah, Land and Land Reforms Minister in West Bengal, have evoked a sharp reaction in Rajasthan.
…According to reports, Mollah, while speaking at a function…had said that Marwaris in the State had become land mafia of sorts and were busy grabbing land. They dominate business and other spheres and use all kinds of means to get their work done…That was the reason Bengalis in their own State were lagging behind.”
Apparently Shri Mollah also said:
“…these non-Bengalis, especially Meros (Marwaris)… they are capturing Bengal not on the basis of their talent or intelligence. They are management masters. If they have a scheme, they remain prepared to manage 10 per cent of that scheme. They slip in that 10 per cent to wherever necessary and get the job done. Bengalis are still not habituated in this…”
.
Thought for the Day:
“Public Works Department Minister Rajender Singh Rathore said that people from Rajasthan have contributed more in the States where they reside than their own home State…” (from The Pioneer)
.
Any guess on which state would be next?
How about Jammu & Kashmir? Sorry, I forgot…no problem of “outsiders” there – except for a few people from Pak-occupied Kashmir who sometimes stray and find themselves on the Indian side of the border…
You say, they are sometimes carrying “arms and ammunition”? Oh, thats only for self-defence…don’t you know Pakistan is a dangerous place?
As for other “Indians”, they need not worry about Jammu and Kashmir…since it is in any case, a country within a country, with its own flag, emblem and constitution…and you cannot buy land there (if you are from outside J&K)…
Or can you?
“…The Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffer Hussain Baig’s statement that outsiders could buy land in Kashmir, has stirred a hornet’s nest.
…Taking strong note of the statement, the National Conference accused the Peoples Democratic Party of undermining the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and the special rights the state people have enjoyed, while the Congress has distanced itself from the statement.” [link]
What I found amusing was this response to the Hon. Minister’s statement:
“…Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim majority state and in the garb of technicalities no one would be allowed to change this essential character of the State,” NC provincial president, Dr Mehboob Beg, said, adding that NC would oppose any move, which would change the demography of the state”
Enough for the day…Good night, all.
Find of the Day: Jammu & Kashmir: Self-Determination, Demands for a Plebiscite and Secession by Dr. Maharaj Kaul
Related Post: There is a “???????” in “??????????”…
.
Some key differences between Bengal and Maharashtra:
1. Senior member of the “Party” and government came out immediately to denounce this statement of Mohala. Buddhadeb, in fact, apologised for the statement.
2. This was just “kite-flying” by a random, non-consequential politician. Bengalis, in general, in Kolkata do not subscribe to this statement. However, most Maharashtrians, in Mumbai, seem to support Raj.
3. Bengalis, in Kolkata, accept the major contribution made by Marwaris to their society. They accept that they do not have a head or passion for “bizness” and the Marwaris fill that slot. Marwaris, on their part, love the Bengali culture to the extent that large numbers of them speak fluent Bengali.
4. The Bengalis do not want to evict the Marwaris from Kolkata because they see them adding value to the city, and not slums.
Kashmir is, of course, another topic. However, I was really heartened by Baig’s statement. Opposition is to be expected. Political grandstanding runs in our blood. But, the fact of the first statement is very significant.
Dear Sir,
At last there is light at the end of the tunnel. People of BHARAT are opening out their eyes to the poppycock that has kept them bedazzleded all these years of Nehruvian, Exclusive Secularism.
Bharatiyas are now awakening to the fact that if they are to retain anything of what the HINDU man GANDHI has brought about, “Retaining the unity of India”, every part of Bharat belongs to BHARAT and all this BS off UN resolutions can be thumbnosed at, as what the US and its allies have done all these years.
They have woken up from the slumber of the lies handed over from generation to generation about “BRITISH INDIAN HISTORY”, and awakening to the call of “BHARATIYA HISTORY” given as a clarion call by Swami Vivekananda.
All is not lost, and as the Bharatiya matures he will understand the true language of the Swami and we will have a true BHARAT extending from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to Nagaland.
WHAT A RELIEF!!!
Regards,
vck
Excellent Blog!!
@ Panchjanya: Thanks for your kind words.
***
In the meantime, violence against “outsiders” continues unabated:
4 Hindi speaking people shot dead in Assam
Monday, 10 March , 2008, 00:01
The increasing spate of attacks on people from one region staying in different region of the country is alarming and augurs serious consequences on the national fabric of the country. Sometimes I really question on the strength of the so called national fabric. The basic question is – is there any such fabric?
In UK, I come across Marathi Mandal, Gujrati samaj, Bengali pujo samiti, but I have not come across an Indian cultural group. Why is this so?
Sometimes I ask a question – what is the essence of being an Indian? And – I do not find any answer.
As a Bihari, I have different festivals which are not a common with a South Indian. As a north Indian, I wear a dhoti in a completely different style as a Malyali or a Tamil.
In UK I find myself more at home as compared to Chennai because I can understand what a taxi driver says; but, I can not understand an auto driver cheating me in Chennai.
My Gods have no resemblance to the Gods prayed and worshipped in South India.
What is the common denominator between a North Indian and a South Indian?
Shall we not debate and try to find this if we are all serious about bringing Indianness on the forefront of all agenda?
Prakash: Thanks for raising some good points…Will respond later in detail…
I did not understand the point about “Gods having no resemblance” – you mean as they are depicted or portrayed or that there are actually “different” Gods? (I think it is a bit of both)…Regardless, there is a common cultural and civilizational ethos that binds us together (as I mentioned at our meeting at LBS) otherwise why should Rameshwaram be sacred to “North Indians” and why should “South Indians” make a trek to Badrinath/ Kedardham?
You will also find this post interesting and thought-provoking: https://satyameva-jayate.org/2008/11/24/the-politics-of-identity/
Hi Shantanu,
The statement is deliberate and consciously made. I wanted to highlight the overt diversity that is ingrained in our society.
The color, form,features of different gods and also the mode of worship is different not only between North and South India; but, also within the same region. Different Casts have different gods and goddesses to worship, different festivals to celebrate and different rituals to follow. The extent of this cultural diversity can be imagined from the fact that in may Indian marriages, the two sides start big fight because they do not agree on the form of rituals they want to follow. I can go on and on in writing about the diversity.
The purpose is not to find the depth of diversity – the purpose however is to discover the underlying force which unites. The idea or the philosophy which brings the two fighting sides to enter in to a life long family relationship.
Indian national identify is not an umbrella indentity where all other identities have their place. For example USA where a legally binding national identity has been politically created where all sub-identities have their place to grow.
Indian national identity is like an organically grown coral reef where the calcarius polyps from all over the world have come and assimilated themselves to become a part of the reef itself. The entire reef is formed of the dead bodies of millions of generations of polyps and this has been providing solid foundation for the colorful life to grow and florish. Over a period different part of the reef acquires different forms, shapes, colors; but they remain integral part of the same reef. That does not need a polity to emphasise any more. The polity is blind and can see only diversity of colors, forms and shapes – it can not see the underlying reef.
I want to discover and strengthen the reef in our Indian polity. I do not agree to the concept of ‘Unity in Diversity’ which gives precedence to diversity. The national ethos should be guided by ‘Diversity in Unity’ which gives pre-eminence to Unity and allows for diversity.
We need to discover the synthesizing forces of our cultural ethos and strenghten it.
“I do not agree to the concept of ‘Unity in Diversity’ which gives precedence to diversity. The national ethos should be guided by ‘Diversity in Unity’ which gives pre-eminence to Unity and allows for diversity.”
Brilliant construct. Kudos.