The most important pastime or if I may correct the most important way to get visibility today is the WhatsApp status update .
Everyone seems to love updating whatsapp status .
As long as it is harmless gyaan , selfies or business promotion , its doesn't really matter.
But now a days , lot of people put political or some flagrantly divisive status .
This seems to have increased and every one seems to carry their political and religious affinity on their sleeves.
Seeing all these malicious and provocative status, I started wondering and this blog is a result of it .
Have we always been such a divisive country?
Is unity in diversity only a hollow slogan ?
Have we not been divided into religion, caste, creed, language, class, gender and so many other such categories?
Did our country not get bifurcated into 3 countries as muslims and hindus just couldn't or let us say didnt want to be part of one country and preferred to go separate ways?
Is it not ironic that our enemy today Pakistan was a part of us for centuries , but we seem to only remember the last 70 years and claim they are our sworn enemies.
Of course the reverse is also true .
Today even saying that we are estranged siblings will attract sedition charges .
So does it not mean that the fear and anxiety about the other has been fuelled and has been festering for long .
Did British by it policy of Divide and Rule conquer us and created this impregnable divide is another topic .
Our history has been rife with communal strifes .
Partition let loose fanatics from both the religion and left such a trail of destruction, misery, death and animosity that we still have not been able to overcome it .
If India thought post partition , rioting and the othering phenomenon of minority is past, we didnt take long to prove ourselves wrong .
The language riots which lead to creation of states on basis of language was the first step in this othering phenomenon.
We have had so many secessionist movement in our states, starting from Kashmir, northeast, Punjab.
Each state based on distinct culture and language has aspired to be independent and have always been at loggerheads with the centre especially if the Govts at centre and state belonged to different political parties.
Riots between hindus and muslims have not receded .
Any local trigger led to communal riots.
Their have also been major events like babri masjid destruction, which affected the whole country.
Each major city whether Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, so many cities in UP, MP and Rajasthan all have had their black spots in communal history.
Then coming back to what has actually changed today
If relations between the majority Hindus and minority Muslims have always been tense and on a tinderbox, then why so much hue and cry about today situation?
Actually if you see .the statistics, their have been lesser communal disturbances last 6 years except for Delhi .
Then what's new that is so scary?
The divide and the suspicion between the communities and the divide between the caste and creed has always existed .
Today all the simmering differences and discontent which was under wraps is out of open.
Due to Majoritarianism and culture of hindutva this so called victimisation of majority community is in vogue and fuelled by social media and the ruling party.
What was once a fringe is normal now .
Everyone is feeling emboldened and feels can express their views which are parochial and communal.
What I find shocking and sad is that normal people I know suddenly metaphorising into these narrow minded vindictive individuals I can no longer recognise.
Voicing out grievances about so called victimisation of majority community and protesting against the so called minority stereotypes.
Is the Govt or the political parties responsible for this ?
Partly maybe
But by trying to point out to politician's who have actually not changed much , i feel we are missing the bigger picture.
We all are responsible for this sad state .
Right wing activist who are on a upward spiral , the liberals who feel marginalized, but still posturing aggressively, the weak political opposition.
We have always been a very religious society and have been insecure about other religions.
And today the genie which was in the bottle is out and is out of control today .
Wish could be optimistic about future, but things look pretty bleak as of today.