To feel or not to feel...

What does it actually mean to be an Indian? Does it mean that one must practice secularity although fundamentalism is the new trend? Does it mean one must follow traditions because it is to be followed even though honestly a huge portion of the population in India does not care? Or is it o be part of a so called “movement” which has reduced the concept of corruption to the most trivial bribery!  

I honestly do not know. I have grown up hearing my grandfather, whom I lovingly called Dadai, talk about the little part that he and his brothers and sisters had played in making India independent.  The proud manner in which he used to recount his childhood expeditions thrilled me. As a child I would curl up on his lap and listen to all his invigorating adventures and wish to be a part of that world, a world in which people actually knew the meaning of the word Indianness, a world in which one would earnestly swell up with pride and declare to the world that they are Indians, not because they are made to hypnotically chant, “Jai Hind” or “All Indians are my brothers and sisters” as a child.

 I could relate with the pride that Dadai felt. It used to make me feel proud to believe in the existence of that country that had also been deeply glorified even in my text books.

But as my childhood fantasies, revolving around the various heroic deeds of the freedom fighters started wearing off, I realized with a sudden deep rooted sadness that my being proud was as nostalgic an affair as was Dadai’s taking part in the movement.

My realization, that the India that we are all so used to being proud of, is not really there anymore. When asked if I feel proud to be an Indian, I am quick to answer ‘YES”. But then I think if it is the general trend of today’s Generation X.

In today’s scenario where Arundhuti Roy is a criminal because she said that India occupied Kashmir should be finally given liberty, Anna Hazare is a patriotic hero because he reduced corruption, in a country like India to minimal bribery; it is not so difficult to answer the question: Is Indianness forced on you?

I still enjoy watching the Republic Day parade or for that matter the Independence Day parade. My heart swells with pride when I hear the national anthem being played. I jump with joy when India wins a cricket match. I smile profoundly when Mahesh Bhupathi wins a set. But is that enough?

I doubt that.

After a prolonged self scrutiny I came to the conclusion that yes I would be honestly proud of the Indianness that has been bestowed upon me by default had I been a part of Dadai’s India.  But knowing my country the way I have recently began to know her, I think my answer would be quite different.

My being candid here will definitely offend a few sentiments but when I cannot talk openly about my political and religious beliefs and inclinations in the fear of being called an anti Indian, I would very  un- doggedly say that yes in this respect  my Indianness is to a certain extent forced upon me.

Hopefully a time will come when things would start going back to as it was. A reverse gear will set in order and India shall be free from all the dogmatic mental chains that are currently clutching her fragile neck. 

However much I might not relate to his policies, here I think my thoughts will be best reflected in his words:  “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama.

Doesn’t matter if you are black or white or umm…coloured!

As a student myself I can well imagine why any Indian student will want to go abroad to pursue his or her education and then a carrier. The reason is simple. It’s not because we do not have good universities, here in India but firstly because the choice of universities is limited and secondly the opportunities which great us after pursing a particular stream is well if not zilch, it is exceedingly restricted.

Several students have in the past traveled long distances away from their homes in search of a perfect education that can help them secure a future that is prosperous in every dimension. The relation our nation shares with several others seemed to deepen with this exchange of bright minds.

Australia for example is the third largest earner in the international student sector, which is only behind coal and iron ore earning them a colossal amount of A$18 billion in 2010, as stated in the Toronto Sun.com.

Elaprolu Jayachandra, Anuj Bidve, Alok Gupta, Nitin Garg and many more Indian students have faced the worst fate imaginable to mankind within a few months of setting foot outside their own country. All of them have been victims of reason free murder. This has made the world think deep about these attacks: where they just random attacks or where they driven by racial motives?

Whether these attack where dictated by the racial difference is hard to say as the circumstances under which these murders were committed say otherwise. International students in India have also faced a fate similar to Elaporlu and the others. Rapes, murders, mobbing etc are worries that every international student has to some extent learned to live with. Despite of all the arguments that can be sighted it is a fact that Nitin Garg was a victim of pure racism in Australia. This attack had ignited a diplomatic catastrophe damaging the national student sector of Australia.

But then again if we look closely with in the rugged boundaries of India, we will witness several atrocities faced by Indian students. In this context the mention of Shiv Sena and their rage against the students who migrated to Mumbai is worthy of mention.

How is the Australian scene different from the Indian scene then? The answer is simple it is not much different. True it is not like two sides of a same coin but it is not very different either.

Our concern should not be restricted to Indian students placed abroad. It should be about the entire student community. This concern should be universal. Without being preachy it is safe to say that the governments of every nation should buckle up and start taking these atrocities faced by students in a much more serious manner. 

All the students who have faced death in the lieu of wanting a perfect education have been survived by their friends and family. An incident like the ones that have been heavily prevalent worldwide now makes one lose faith completely.  In times where the world is facing various other political and diplomatic emergencies it is maybe not such a good idea to start losing faith irrevocably.   

Definitely not DEMOCRACY!

“I deeply resent my book being used as a political football; what should matter to you more than my resentment is that you come out of this looking not only Philistine and anti-democratic but opportunistic.”- In his heartfelt letter to the then Prime Minister, Mr.Rajiv Gandhi in 1988, Salman Rushdie expressed his views and philosophies in a very emphatic manner. 

Recently owing to the controversial Jaipur Literature Festival the past is being revisited, the past that screams of how India has shunned her own set democratic principles and turned fundamentalist.

The issue of banning a book, sometimes paintings or for that matter the author of the book or the painter is not really new to the Indian democracy.  Prominent names like Farag Foda, Taslima Nasrin, M.F. Husain and Naguib Mahfouz are examples of the Indian intolerance when it comes to the showcase of artistic or literary work.

Salman Rushdie’s fourth book The Satanic Verses was banned by the Finance Ministry on the grounds of religious “blasphemy” in 1989! This magical realist was immediately shunned by society.

In his letter to the then Prime Minister, Rushdie was found explaining in details how the contents of his book had nothing to do with any of the blasphemous charges that he was charged with. The ban of Rushdie’s book is an annulment of the Right to the Freedom of Speech Act.

Soon enough the Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or religious edict calling for Rushdie’s death. This decision of Khomeini was rigorously backed by the Iranian Government till 1998.

Salman Rushdie was forced to go underground after all his attempts to rejuvenate the basic facts of his book were lost on everyone and with the Muslim community thirsty for his blood. It has been more than two decades. India is changing her image into a highly progressive country. But in the recent case of Salman Rushdie and the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival, this progressive country took several steps backwards into a rigorously regressive domain.

In his Twitter account Rushdie was quoted writing, ‘Rajasthan police invented plot to keep away Rushdie' I've investigated, & believe that I was indeed lied to. I am outraged and very angry.”

Thus, ended the episode of Rushdie’s visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival.  But the end of this highly controversial affair marked the beginning of several callous criticisms. According to many, the political parties did not want their Muslim voters upset right before the voting season especially in Uttar Pradesh, which will lead the elections.

Several writers including the likes of Taiye Selasi and Chetan Bhagat made comments. While the promising Selasi was found saying, ““I never expected Mr. Rushdie not to come”, Mr.Bhagat on the other hand smugly notified the Press that, “Let’s not make heroes out of people who have been banned. They have been banned for hurting people. They shouldn’t be banned but they are not heroes. You can say Muslims are backward, aggressive. That’s fine. But they are right to get upset when their gods are attacked. I wouldn’t like it if my gods are attacked.”
This shocking statement made by Bhagat makes one think. Is it just the Muslim community’s aggression, the political leaders egotistical intentions or for that matter intellectual brevity or is it more or less the dominant mind set of people?
While this question remains unanswered it is now a fact that Rushdie will not be attending the Jaipur Literature Festival. Although the authorities of the festival have declared that the festival will be inaugurated with a video speech by Rushdie, the prominent fact that India has abandoned her democratic philosophies is but obvious.