India is a complex country. Within its geographical boundaries, there are many boundaries. Whereas there is cultural unity, there is diversity of seasons and vegetations, histories of people, genetics, features and body language, cuisine, customs and costumes, language and literature, religions and social attitudes, music and arts. Each is distinct, equally evolved, and everyone feels proud of one's race and ethnicity, language, literature, music and art.
We are racists. It is because of Aryan-Brahmical ancestry, and as an old civilization. We, therefore, claim to be superior-more evolved, and arrogate in every discourse, and perhaps rightly so.
We are casteists. Cast is an Indian reality. It is acquired, depending upon where one is born. It is too complex. Upper and lower, forward and backward caste, and sub-casts still prevails in the villages where caste wars are not uncommon, and it is a dishonour when expelled from his or her caste with severe psychological affects. Even converts carried their caste and the associated socio-economic status with them to the new religio-social groups. Therefore those claiming to be casteless also acquired caste hierarchy as it is evident with their demands for reservation for their low caste groups. This age old caste system is hierarchical and about power; it may have functioned well for its reasons, but the atrocities motivated those who faced as a result, and made them to assert and organise to free themselves for self prosperity. Despite the vision of our past leaders for a casteless society, caste however has always been exploited for political gains, and it continues. But with increasing self awareness and education, it is losing, and with time will lose, its relevance as a political tool.
There has been regionalism, and immense pride goes along with it. And passions still rise when it comes to protecting its social and economic interests and also cultural values. Those who made India their home also changed; learning local language and with plurality of belief system and modified customs and rituals, an attitude of regionalism came natural to them.
Earlier, majority of people moved within their boundaries except when they ventured out for tirth yatras; only few went out for jobs. The educated Bengali's mostly Doctors and teachers were the earliest to migrate to urban parts of the country, and the place where they settled together acquired a name-'Bengali colony'. They were social islands 'a mini Bengal' with 'addas', Kalibari and celebrating Durga Puja etc. They were very conscious of their language and culture. They became familiar people across the country. Rasogulla and chamcham became new additions to local sweets.
Partition brought Punjabis, Sikhs and Sindhis. They were new faces with new language and attitudes and headgears to the places where they were rehabilitated across the country. They struggled, learnt local language, and competed to establish themselves. They were seen with compassion as refugees. Acceptance and imbibing quality, tolerance and respect towards all is inherent to our culture and society. Tandoori chicken and roti, and ma ki dal till now limited to our side of Punjab became readily popular across the country.
With Dravidian movement Tamil Brahmans migrated to North. People from Kerala-mostly typists (nicknamed 'Remington rand' after the typewriter brand) and nurses moved to North India for job opportunities; they especially nurses gradually became familiar faces with their smelly coconut hair oil and speaking entirely a different language. There was a clear North-South divide. Anyone appearing from south of India was a 'madrasi'. I remember one of my Oriya colleague objected to be called 'madrasi' as it hurted his Oriya pride. It could be like in UK every one of South-Asian features is a Paki. Madras coffee house in Connaught place in Delhi serving idli, dosa and filter coffee became the first destination for the new arrivals, and a popular meeting place for south Indians.
People from Bihar went to Punjab as agriculture labour during harvest time. But when the young Behari's joined Delhi schools and colleges, and JNU (mostly of forward caste and Bhumihars) preparing for Civil Services - considered as means to hold power, and others also came looking for jobs, they were taunted as 'Behari' meaning as timid. They spoke Bhojpuri-Hindi- a little different in pronunciation causing sniggers.
Delhi as it developed as an educational hub and promised jobs opportunities, it became a melting pot of people from different states. They learnt working Hindi, and English remained the link language. The regional identity, however, remained intact and most of them when meeting will spontaneously talk in their languages, often irritating to local people. But gradually the 'madrasi' tag became meaningless, and one bothered little who is madrasi and who is a Keralite. For Biharis it was much easier because of language and culture. The hard working Punjabi's and Sikhs established them fast, and became popular businessmen.
People from Northeast are the recent arrivals. May be it is due to lack of motivation, incentive, communication and importantly perhaps due to insurgency. Christian missionaries targeted the simple, ignorant, oppressed and the poor, explored the difficult terrains and tribes like in North East; they succeeded to convert them, gave education and their music, but failed to change their culture, language and the customs. There are several tribes, each with different language, dialects and customs. But for many entire North-East is Assam; it is identified with tea but it is in fact much more than just tea. What are 'seven sisters' people may not know. People do know their attractive costumes, dance as displayed every year on 26 January. Tourism is not yet developed (except Sikkim) perhaps for variety of reasons and therefore, NE, therefore, till recently has been less exposed to people in rest of the country.
As more young people from the NE started coming in recent times for higher education, and others for job opportunities, their different features with small slit eyes and language, often confused them as Chinese, therefore derogatorily taunted as 'chinkis'. It is like in the past many people from our Hill regions called as 'pahari' who worked as the reliable domestic servants were often mistaken due to similar features with Nepalis who mostly served as Durbans. But amazingly 'momo's which came along with them took less time to get popular than themselves.
Migration although gradually made the internal boundaries porous but migrants always faced initial problems of languages, adjustments, misconceptions and prejudices, during the transitions phase, like rough and tough is called 'jat', 'Haryanvi' for his accent, 'Bihari' - a simpleton-timid or Litti Chokha. Bangali a Marxist, malyalee- 'Mullu', and UPites as 'bhahiaya', and prejudices like Punjabis are considered selfish and so on. 'Chinki' for NE people is more due to their features and because they were not as familiar, and does not mean they are considered alien. But as the visibility will increase, people will get to know more about them, develop friends and inter-caste marriages, the taunting words like 'chinki' or 'momos' will also become meaningless like in others cases. Mugging, stalking and lewd comments or rape is not region, religion or even age specific; it is due to erratic criminal mindset with uncontrolled repressed sexual drive of the uncouth and uncivil elements; even juvenile have committed rape. The vulnerability of the victim is due to variety of reasons. Making fun of someone, taunting, criticizing and even attacking for some reason is not an uncommon social behavior. Biharis, at places, are still targeted.
I am not justifying anything, and everyone has a right to get equal respect and justice in case of any wrong doings of any kind. In Nido case it is indeed a condemnable crime. Whatever reason -angry altercation leading to the fight and crime or lack of swift police action, an enquiry has been set up to find out the truth and the guilty must be severely punished. It is unfortunate that government and especially police do not act unless noise is made and there is Media hype and dharnas. This is not the first time NE young people are taunted or stalked, but this time besides the death of Nido, it is 2014-the election year which has given it a political colour. The NE young people rightly feel agitated and demoralized; it needs political will to regain their confidence and not exploitation. But the use of words like 'hate crime' create wrong perceptions and are misplaced.
But such incidences, even though may keep the NE young people in news for some time till visibility increase and people know more about them like others, any fears, that it may endanger the unity and integrity of India are unfounded. Internal migration either for education or for job opportunities, interaction (English as the link language) , learning of each other's language , inter regional marriages and the young rising above caste , region or religion will prove more unifying, enhancing sense of belonging -promoting nationalism. However diverse we may be, practice what faith, and where we live within the Indian boundary, our inherent tolerant cultural character will not let any discrimination creep in our DNA. Diversity gives us strength and more relative tolerance. Idli dosa, memos, chat and Vada-pao, Gujarati khichri will act as catalyst for change of regional - insular attitude. Even Kashmiri kahwa is making its presence in marriage dinner menu.
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