I was extremely saddened to read about recent reports where North Indian workers in Bombay were attacked by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS). This is apalling, a proverbial black mark on a megapolis like Bombay which takes pride in being a melting pot of cultures. Apparently the grouse of Raj Thakeray and his goons was that labor migrants from Bihar and UP were creating lots of turbulence in the city and stretching the city's infrastructure to the point of no return.
Though there is some truth in the matter, migration across countries as well as within is a universal phenomena. People will try to flock to a place where opportunity and a better life beckons. But as a citizen of the Republic of India, the constitution gives me the right to be free to pursue my livelihood anywhere within the nation. It should not matter where I come from. In return one should be willing to abide by the law. If the migrants from UP and Bihar are creating a law and order situation its got to be addressed by the State Government and not through some self appointed son of the soil who is clearly trying to canvass support by playing the regionalism card.
One of the shining achievements of India as a nation post independence is how we have managed to survive as a democracy despite our myriad cultural differences. The disgraceful Bombay episode is a potent threat to the democratic fabric of the nation. Just the other day I read that the Kannada activists attacked and destroyed public property at a Bangalore railway station. These useless goons need to be severely dealt with. If we are saying that Bombay is only for Mahrashtrians, Bangalore for Kannadigas, Chennai for Tamils, then its simply going to be suicidal. More and more Indians now earn their livelihoods abroad. What if every country follows suit and throws us out using similar logic?
At a time when India is better placed on an economic scale than ever before it would be disastrous to let petty things like regionalism take over. Hopefully this too shall pass.
Though there is some truth in the matter, migration across countries as well as within is a universal phenomena. People will try to flock to a place where opportunity and a better life beckons. But as a citizen of the Republic of India, the constitution gives me the right to be free to pursue my livelihood anywhere within the nation. It should not matter where I come from. In return one should be willing to abide by the law. If the migrants from UP and Bihar are creating a law and order situation its got to be addressed by the State Government and not through some self appointed son of the soil who is clearly trying to canvass support by playing the regionalism card.
One of the shining achievements of India as a nation post independence is how we have managed to survive as a democracy despite our myriad cultural differences. The disgraceful Bombay episode is a potent threat to the democratic fabric of the nation. Just the other day I read that the Kannada activists attacked and destroyed public property at a Bangalore railway station. These useless goons need to be severely dealt with. If we are saying that Bombay is only for Mahrashtrians, Bangalore for Kannadigas, Chennai for Tamils, then its simply going to be suicidal. More and more Indians now earn their livelihoods abroad. What if every country follows suit and throws us out using similar logic?
At a time when India is better placed on an economic scale than ever before it would be disastrous to let petty things like regionalism take over. Hopefully this too shall pass.
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