I would like to tell my Gujarati and Maharashtrians one thing. Your states have done very well in attracting investment. I agree WB has done very poorly in this respect and continues to do so. However, what you should see are the good points of WB which are not in your states. do not ignore them. Firstly, I have been to both Maha and Gujarat and lived in both the states. In Ahemedebad, there are major Dalit colonies-some of the people who live there are even IAS officers and engineers. Indeed, the reason they live there is that the Patels or Brahmins do not give their flats on rent to Gujarat Dalits. The level of casteism in Gujarat is tremendous-look at how the BJP has marginalized both the Dalit and the tribal communities.
Even Maharashtra has had tremendous casteism. Look at how the Marathas protested when Marathwada University was to be renamed Dr BR Ambedkar University. A simple name-and how much of a controversy it became! Look at Khairlange, look at the complete collapse of the Dalit movement, the degree to which Brahmins have been marginalized. Maharashtra is certainly very casteist.
Now look at WB.Have you even heard of caste conflict-I repeat-caste conflict in WB? Can't you give WB credit for making caste almost irrelevant in elections? Even elections are not fought on caste lines and the feeling of casteism is certainly least in India. Even communal violence has been very limited since the partion. There have been no communal riots in WB in 30 years.
RE:WB is not that bad
by sholay on Oct 13, 2007 07:14 PM Permalink
mr.gonsalves, why dont you concentrate on your religion instead of commenting on others religion
RE:WB is not that bad
by Birju on Oct 13, 2007 07:11 PM Permalink
Dear Mr. Gonsalves, in WB you are correct that there is no caste divide, but that is only in Hindu Bengalis, but communalism is rising amongst the Muslims both Bengali and hindi speaking fellows from neighbouring states. These Biharis and UPwallahs are really destroying this state.
RE:WB is not that bad
by amit jain on Oct 13, 2007 07:35 PM Permalink
Hindus of Bengal are dwindling day by day. West Bengal is same as East Bengal, muslim majority. Many hindus are converted to Islam and communism, and atheism. There is no scope for casteism, when there are no Hindus left.
RE:RE:WB is not that bad
by amit jain on Oct 13, 2007 07:37 PM Permalink
All WB districts are Muslim majority except for Calcutta, where the coward Bengali Hindus have gathered for safety. This is similar to Kashmiri Pandits running away to Jammu and Delhi. Islamic and Arabic imperialism is pushing us inside our territory every day.
RE:RE:WB is not that bad
by amit jain on Oct 13, 2007 07:42 PM Permalink
What is wrong if Calcutta police tried to save a simple Hindu girl, Priyanka from a street smart guy like Rizwan?
RE:RE:RE:WB is not that bad
by amit jain on Oct 13, 2007 07:39 PM Permalink
Shayantan, be true to your heart and tell me how many district in WB are Hindu majority now? This is a national problem as Hindus are being squeezed by Islam from East, by Christians missionaries from North East and Pakistani agents from Kashmir. Only Western borders are safe.
