Ban hate

Ban this, ban that. Our sensibilities are on overdrive. I don’t like something, just ban it. This is India today. The land that is celebrated for its tolerance towards the other and having the ability to assimilate different cultures is increasingly losing its sense of direction. This sense of intolerance stems from ignorance and a lack of confidence in one’s own identity.

Every time we head to an election, communal flare up increases. Politician are blamed, and rightly so. The existing chasms in society allow the shrewd politicians to exploit for immediate electoral gains. Bihar elections have once again brought this to the forefront like never before. Time and again it is the poor and the marginalized that bear this brunt of communal politics.

Muzzafarnagar is still fresh on our minds and we are now confronted with Dadri killing. Protecting lives and respecting others right to their way of life is more precious than the so-called call of religion. What is the purpose of religion if killing and hatred becomes the object? Religion is supposed to spread brotherhood and peace among the masses not hatred and fear. Ironically, as we near the 70^th year of independent existence as a nation, there is the question of whether the basis for partition was after all right.

This country is increasingly turning into majoritarianism- in that the will of the majority is increasingly being imposed on the rest. This increasing partition in the society bodes ill for the country. Unless all Indians are treated equally and given opportunities to grow and contribute to nation building, India is far from becoming a superpower.