True, Indians are turning their backs on the culture that their previous generations grew up with. This will create problems for our succeeding generations. One of the problems of strife in Africa is because the invading Europeans broke up Africa into disjoint, non-tribally segregated countries (earlier Africa was tribally based and segregated), and also made Africans turn their backs on their unique, ecologically embedded culture to adopt European methods of civilisation. The catastrophic result is there for all to witness - a culturally mooreless generation grown up in war and strife. Blame the invading Europeans for this.
The Australians are now recognising that Aboriginal history is culturally integral to Australia's history, and not one which the earlier generation of Europeans wanted to wish away. Scores of streets and plazas are being given Aboriginal names.
As for India, we are slowly moving the African way. Once our culture stands completely abandoned by the majority of a generation (say two generations born from now), indentity problems will give rise to conflict. Take a good, deep look at the North-East, and now Orissa.
Caste system is killing India and more so the states of UP and Bihar. It is the fundamental reason for backwardness of these states. The south Indian states and even Gujarat and Maharashtra to some extent have weakened the evil caste system and built better societies. The question is are the people from UP and Bihar specially the upper caste going to do some retrospection or are they going to continue being racist and keep on fanatically supporting the caste system. What goes around, come around, the racist treatment these guys meted out to people from their own states is being meted to them from the people of Maharashtra. With rise in income of people from Maharastra and their stomachs being full, they have moved to the next level, hate. But I dobt the fanatic supporters of caste system from UP and Bihar are going to do anything about dismentling the caste sytem. In their family of 10 people they will continue to identify with the 2 fair color long nosed people, cooling ignoring rest of the 8 people who don't have fair color and long nose and resemble the lower castes. Living in thier blind ego-mania and self-denial they will continue to support the caste system, till the entire population of UP and Bihar is labelled as the new dalits of India.
RE:The real problem India is facing is castism
by Kumar on Feb 24, 2008 06:24 AM Permalink
A sad commentry of the rot of these so-called cradles of Vedic civilizations, Buddhism, Jainism and Yoga.
India should listen to any feedback even if it may appear negative. Then its up to India to use the feedback to progress, or India may even choose to ignore it. This article is straight to the point, now it up to the voters to decide.
I always click on any article penned by columnists like you, BRaman , Arvind Lavakare, Rajeev Srinivasan etc. At the same time, I dont click on columnists like Praful Bidwai, Dilip D'Souza etc....
Congratulations for penning a wonderful column. Keep it up!
Really a great article. I share the frustration that you had expressed. Its the sad fact the government allows all these missionaries to flourish just to keep their vote bank safe. There was a good program in CNN-IBN about the black money of politician getting turned into white through this missionaries. Probably that explains a lot. I hail from family of freedom fighters. Its sad and these stuff get into my nerves. We normal Indians are powerless to tackle this. So I decided to leave India and leave peacfully as a minority. It really doesnt make a difference. In reality we Hindus are minority in India in any case.
Dear sir, Often when our govt brings out any plans to improve the standard of living of poor and downtroden they normally go for backward class people , whether they have gone to see how far there earlier plans had gone.What were the result of it.They really don`t want these stupid stuffs ,what do they really want is power nothing else and we young people seeing this we feel that it of sheer waste to participate in elections afterall none of the candidates care for the common man.
