By Chitra Ahanthem
The reports of students of the region being beaten up in Bangalore and Gurgaon this week is unfortunately becoming just another statistics with comments on the incidents also questioning whether attacks on non locals in the state are creating this reaction far away. India as we know do not have an anti racism law which would obviously start with a definition of what is racist behavior/attitude/practice. As of now, there are many who say that attacks on people from the region in the rest of the country is racist in nature while attacks on non locals in the region is a manifestation of political ethnocentrism. Sociologists and political commentators can delve more into this area but the core area is that yes, there are attacks in the rest of the country on people who look different from them and look different from them and there are attacks in this part of the country because they look different and are in the minority. Before this two cases in Bangalore and Gurgaon, there have been many other cases, some high profile like that of the Tania case and many that faded away. In each of these cases, what differs is only the amount of media coverage and how people respond on social media. In real terms, nothing has changed in terms of ensuring security for minority populations in the country. There is that much amount of intolerance about people who look different and that much amount of ignorance though of course whenever a sportsperson from the region makes a name for the country, there are fulsome praise and pride over that area.
Sports reminds me about the ongoing India Super League (ISL) where football is being pitched on a scale that has not been visible when it comes to the sport. With all things Indian, the involvement of Hindi film actors in the ISL is being talked about but really where stakes are high, the idea would be to bring in as many eyeballs as possible, which will then translate into advertisements and corporate backings. The turn out of people to watch the matches so far is an encouraging sign though the audience was thin in the match played out at Delhi. Apart from the presence of celebrities, what the current ISL is bringing on board to the Indian football scene is more investments in technical support, infrastructure support and other support systems. The best part of this football exercise is that there is not just a large presence of players and technical and other support staff from the region in the league but an actual team with the name `Northeast`™ mentioned, that is made up of players from the region. Will folks see the irony of cheering for this team even as people from the region continue to be attacked? That will be difficult to say for the majority miss out on such subtlety.
While continuing with the matter of attacks on people from the region in the `mainland`™, the few efforts that are being taken up follow the popular route of organizing film festivals and cultural festivals showcasing culture from this side of the country. However, many are missing out on the point that such dos are organized amongst a particular group of intellectuals, students etc who in any case are atleast aware of the region and its people, if not its issues. The majority of people who have the maximum contact with people from the region: people on the streets, in public transport and others are still without much awareness about the region. And when they do hear about people from the region, it would be about attacks on `their`™ people- a vicious cycle alright.
End-point:
When someone gets injured in a road accident, what is the first thing that strikes the one injured, those who are onlookers at the site and the one (s) who has caused or contributed to the said accident? Let us talk of this last bit from my own experience last Sunday that involved me pillion riding on a two wheeler, a car and a boy on a bile who braked right on the road when he saw someone he knew leading to a series of brakes being applied left, right and center. I was coming from my physiotherapy session and then the next minute I had fallen on to the road, banging the back of my head against the side door. If it were not for the brakes, there would have been an IFP condolence note for sure (incidentally, this was the 5th road accident where I have been injured: does that make me lucky to scrape through with only injuries or just accident prone?) And what did the couple in the car do? They had a shouting match with the choicest of slangs trying to analyze who was wrong while I stood by, getting more dizzy and wobbly by the minute. Their concern was only one thing: would I ask for money? Sigh!
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/10/remains-of-a-week/