Thursday, June 3, 2010

If Bihari = Uncouth, then who's Bihari, they or us?


The article takes its source from a discussion I had last night with one of my friends from Patna, Bihar. He hated Delhiites and that was irritating for me. The conversation heated up and we end up fighting for this reason. I couldn’t believe that while staying in Delhi and studying in Delhi University, this chap had the audacity to hate Delhiites. The discussion started about Bihar and I accused him and other Biharis for being uncouth, raw and chauvinists, until the discussion took a different shape and became an eye-opening thing for me.
Most of us don’t like the way Biharis speak, or their attitude in public. The contemptuous attitude that we have towards them, is a prejudice that not only Biharis but also a number of people from poor states bear. The most common is the prejudice against North-Easterns, demeaningly called Chinkis. We have an attitude that all the Biharis are either Rickshawalas, labourers etc. But when the same people start studying with us in prestigious institutions, we call it usurping our seats. But do we know the reality of that state? Do we know the history of that state? Do we know the political conditions of that state? Parents are scared of losing their sons to crime, each and every day. This is the reason why they send their children especially sons out of Bihar. A student in Bihar has triple the pressure anyone in other states has to perform well in studies and get out of the problems. The State stood still without development and education for more than 15 years because of corruption. There were no teachers in the Government schools. In smaller cities such as Muzaffarpur , Voting had its own mannerism to be carried out. We need to know the reality and the victimisation before simply passing on judgments on peoples’ polished or brutal behaviours. Isn’t Bihar a part of India then why do we consider it usurping of our seats, when these guys make to great Colleges. Our mentality needs a change. If today all the Biharis are sent back to Bihar, this country would stand-still. No one to pull your rickshaw, no one to make the strategies (IAS), half of the working women would face tough time in wiping the floor and cooking for themselves. Our attitude needs a change. And comments need a reason when we contemptuously call a bad looking girl Biharin. We need to pressurise the government to fast forward the development in Bihar to control the problem of migration. Bihar needs radical change instead of contempt from hollow brains.

3 comments:

  1. Aman...I couldn't agree more. After independence lot of our own brethrens have decided to replace the Britishers and built a caste and culture based perception as their yardstick to measure their own countrymen.
    Be it people from part of the country north east, Bihar, south india...there's always this deranged perception about them.
    I've stayed in delhi for 16 years and myself am quite a delhite. I've seen delhites, especially Punjabi community of delhi and UP/Haryana communities have a strong mindset built about others.
    But frankly speaking I can't blame them completely, because their feelings are reciprocated in the same manner by those who are not from the capital.In form of hatred and rejection.
    But, there's a silver lining to it as well. There's a wave of change which is seeping in like the droplets falling from a cracked water pipe, and this change is of thoughts and opinions.
    A new genre of people is shaping up who are gauging people on their individuality instead of their caste, religion or culture.
    Until then, we ought to bear the pain of being called a stranger in our own country

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  2. Well written man... We all have prejudices.. It's only when you get to the root of the issue do you understand how people really are..
    I am in Germany right now, and I can see myself forming prejudices at a pace I wasnt familiar with..
    I dont think thats wrong, only it shouldnt come in the way of you making friends and treating people with respect :)

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  3. @ Adam - Certainly this is what is the present state and we need to fight it primarily by not doing it ourselves! @ Arshat - Certainly the prejudices are not onl;y in India but everywhere but what gives a right to any human to belittle another!

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