I too feel quite uncomfortable when the small plate is kept on the left. It's actually a part of table etiquette. V, Indians, who use our fingers are used to just using one hand for eating. But westerners use both their hands...right hand for the knife and left hand for cutting and putting the food into the mouth. So I guess it just comes naturally to them to use the left small plate by using their left hand whereas v just tend to take the plate and keep it on our right side for comfort.
