Mainland India and North East

(Image source: Wikimedia Commons.com)

In India dialect changes every 2.5 kilometres and social customs at every 5. The breadth and length of this land is home to diverse group of people: some dark, some whitish, some with oriental features. However, we all hold the same passport- The Passport from the Republic of India. Whether is it the 2011 world cup cricket match, standing in unison with Anna Hazare in Ramlila Maidan, candle-light march to hasten justice for Jessica or fighting off likes of Kasab to quench the fire of terrorism- we Indians come together as one. We are in spirit and mind- INDIANS!

However, in every day life all and sundry are busy as bees pitted against time to make ends meet. Running to catch a speeding train or skirmishing with co-passengers for a seat or bargaining with a taxi driver over fare: sometimes one doesn’t realise how dogmatic and ill informed we Indians are about our fellow brothers, even though we proudly claim to be progressive denizens of the largest economy.

India is indeed a land of historic upheavals where numerous races have invaded, bred with natives and ruled for countless years. The gene pool has been diversified resulting in Indians with varied phenotype, varied genotype, varied customs, varied cuisines and varied traditions. Amidst all these diversity we fail to comprehend people from varied walks of life; favour intolerant and myopic perceptions of them.

The recent unfortunate incidents of the unnatural death of Richard Loitam a 19-year old from Manipur; suicide committed by Dana from Meghalaya; the north east rape victims in Gurgoan and Noida has forced the spotlight back on a sore issue: Why are mainstream Indians biased about people from northeast?  Don’t they deserve justice?

We have read about Moghuls and the British Empire. We have gained inspiration from the struggle for Indian independence. However, how many of our Indian brothers know of the prosperous history of the North-East? How many Indians know of the brazen violation of sovereignty by the Chinese into this region? How many Indians are aware of traditions, social customs, and cuisines of people inhabiting the northeast arm of Mother India? Absence of factual detail on north-east from our history books, and dearth of regional political scenario from civics chapters has indeed formed as parapet to alienate people of this region from majority.

The Chinese traveller Huen Tsang who visited in the 7^th century had observed: northeast region as an important physical and cultural bridge between India and South East Asia. This region shares 4500 kilometres of international border with: South Tibet, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. It has strong ethnic and cultural ties with South East Asia and linguistically favours Tibeto-Burman languages.

So, isn’t it but natural that these natives would incorporate westernized lifestyle in their everyday life as practised by their ancestors?

The financial insecurity of this region attributed to repeated retrogress of ceasefire and peace talks between freedom fighters and the political elite have vastly deterred investors from this region. Since the beginning of economic liberalization in 1990s this region is still in want of infrastructure, employment, and basic amenities. Hence, in want off an education in premier institutes, a taste of multi-cultural ambience, and a better standard of living, immigration occurs in thousands every year into the mainland India.

North easterners stand out in a crowd of Indians: oriental features, pearly complexion, glossy black tresses; accompanied with a moderate choice of wardrobe. For the ignorant Indian they appear as: bizarre liberal breed of men and women, their dialect and food habits atypical, bold fashionistas and find them no different from residents of China or Bhutan! Stigmatization based on myopic assessment of a population which stems from ignorance is the key ingredient for social irresponsibility, intolerance and injustice.

For prejudiced people of the mainstream India the mention of northeast region is synonymous to insurgency and a liberal westernized society who lack “Indian values”. Most aren’t able to appreciate and acknowledge the free-thinking approach prevalent in 220 residing ethnic groups who fondly call northeast their domicile.

The majority of India is embroiled in a vicious cycle. Fear of dowry augments the sentiment that women are gratuitous burden; this sentiment harbingers blood-thirsty poachers; veering to a skewed sex ratio which eventually hastens human trafficking to replenish demands. Indians who express this school of thought see women as commodity, as domestic device to beget male heir or even worse- as lowly life. This bloodthirsty poaching of Indian women at all economic strata shocks liberal north easterners.

Absence of practising dowry and prevalent matrilineal community empowers women with a sense of confidence and open-mindedness in most ethnic tribes of north east in contrary to other parts of the nation. The immigrants’ determination to retain their uniqueness amidst chauvinistic Indians propels the moral police of our Indian society to confidently disparage and sneer at inhabitants from the north-east; while whiffs of massacre are emitted from their own backyard.

In the words of Ayn Rand “when you know that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing, when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in goods but in favours, when you see that men get rich more easily by graft rather than by work, and your laws no longer protect you against them but protect them against you, you know that your society is doomed.”

It is indeed pertinent that in the age of liberal media the cobwebs of ignorance must be dispelled. If presumptive Indians indulge confidently in favouring exclusion of residents in the mainstream and derogating brothers of the north-east, we need to ask ourselves- are we progressive denizens of the largest growing economy?