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Hi,
I have been following the exchanges in the mailing lot with a lot of interest. And I am afraid this entire debate has been initiated with the purpose of creating mischief. Yes, a degree of parochial chauvinism is present in Karnataka. But then it is present in all the states of India. There are many North Indians who consider all South Indians to be "Madrasis." In Bombay, there was violence against the migrant working population from Bihar and West Bengal. There are countless instances of the majority community ganging up against the minority community in most states of India. It could be the Hindus against the Muslims in Gujarat or the Muslims against the Pandits in Kashmir. These are all symptoms of the same malaise. To single out Karnataka and in particular Bangalore seems to be particularly unfortunate as this is a state which has displayed much more tolerance than many others in the recent past.
Mr. Vilasan obviously likes to play games. According to him, he does not belong to the state and the community attributed to him. So he is this anonymous entity from nowhere who has dropped this mail bomb to get members irritated and angry. He sadly believes this is a political forum and therefore we must stoop down to being the kind of politicians this country has long suffered and who gain support and mileage out of creating fissures and hatred. My request to the members is to avoid falling into this trap and ignore what he has to say. Otherwise, the rest of us would get into this game of vitiating the hygiene of this space and end up saying things that we will rue later.
Cheers,
Vijay
----- Original Message -----From: Anurag SharanSent: Monday, January 12, 2009 2:52 PMSubject: Re: [collectivechaosblr] Is it Fascism or Regionalism ??
Hi everybody.would be happier if the debates on this forum got less combative.Was originally supporting the point that Car licence plates need to be in English(a common link language, tho saying this alone may set off some people), so that when cars travel around to other regions and states, they may be easily identified. This is also the Law, and its time the authorities were told to strictly implement this. They're not doing their job,if they don't.And they need to be told off.Re: regional affinities and its more extreme version, which I chose to call chauvinism, its perfectly OK for a small town in Kerala or TN or Karnataka, to display stuff in the local language. THAT is not against the Law, and while the lack of comprehension that this entails, may be inconvenient for visitors, for the vast majority its Ok.Ditto for community get togethers in Dubai or Timbuctoo.The third point was that Bangalore is in many ways unique, as it has always had the seed of cosmopolitan-ness. Few remember that 70 years ago it was smaller than Mysore. It has grown vastly in the last 20- 30 years., because of essentially" outside businesses and foreign capital" Local talent and outside catalysts/capital is the combination. The PSU sof 1970-80s also represents domestic Indian capital . Software/ITEs represents domestic and foreign capital.In the 1900s Calcutta similarly grew tremendously because of foreign capital.There is nothing to be ashamed of these historical facts and it no way detracts from the genius of this City. If its touching a sore nerve for some to be told how Bangalore has changed from a sleepy Cantonment town to a bustling metropolis, all in 20 years, these people need to look inwards and check their inner"chauvinistic quotient'. CheersAnurag----- Original Message -----From: amit guptaSent: Monday, January 12, 2009 8:39 AMSubject: RE: [collectivechaosblr] Is it Fascism or Regionalism ?? Dear Manu Vilsan,
i am seeing a burst of these type of mails in my mailbox. Initially i thought it was some documentary titled :Fascism or Regionalism. So i ignored the mails. Please do not use this forum for POLITICAL purpose.
First let me introduce myself : i am from New Delhi but i am a resident of Bangalore for the last 8/9 years by choice. I had come from Mumbai and had two cars which had Maharashtra no plates till six months back. i had off course paid full road tax 8/9 years back. i had no problem moving around Bangalore or Karnataka, other than the occassional checks by the RTOs. i changed the number plates when i was advised by my friends to change to Karnataka number plates due to prevailing terrorist activities. i agreed.
Let me also tell you my family including my children know very little Kannada, and we have had no problems of discriminations till date. We have a small business in Bangalore, we never had any problems other than some minor regional issues like state government forms and offices having the medium of communication as Kannada. But this is there in every state and more so in Tamil Nadu and your home state Kerala. I travel extensively in the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.I also travel a lot in the Middle-East.
Now, i have cetain observations about your mails and mails on this subject:
- your mail smacks of Regionalism, which is very typical of people who have a political slant for everything
- in my travels abroad and especially in the Middle-East you will always find a Kerala Social Group or a Tamil Sangam which have EXCLUSIVE REGIONAL MEMBERSHIP. It is to be noted that these : Keralites and Tamilians have a dominating presence in Middle-East.
- while these groups claim that it is open for all Indians, it very cleverly has ALL SOCIAL FUNCTIONS in TAMIL OR MALYALEE only.
- the medium of conversation is always in Tamil or Malyalee, even when Indians from other Regions are present
- even when in a mixed regional group this issue of language is brought to the notice of a Tamil or Malyalee, they initially switch to a more cosmopolitan language like English, but soon revert back to Tamil or Malyalee. Later they unashamedly say that we are talking things that we do not want you to know.
- Keralities have another problem abroad...and this is to do with Keralite Christians who subtely and later vigourously promote Christianity amongst the non-resident Indian Hindus. This is the most obnoxious part!!!
- Keralities in the Middle-East make a clear distinction between an Indian and a Malabari, whenever it suits them (there are many incidents which i can narrate, but that is immaterial).
- These non-resident Keralities and Tamilians are utterly clannish and only employ or recommend people from their own region or community.
Dear Manu Vilsan, i can go on and on about what mischief each of the communities do to other Indians. So, please STOP this Regional or Fascist(a very communists lingo!) campaign.
regardsAmit G
To: collectivechaosblr@yahoogroups. com
From: manuvilsan@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 11:36:46 +0530
Subject: [collectivechaosblr] Is it Fascism or Regionalism ??
Is Bangalore for Kannadigas alone?
Is the number plate in a vehicle, a means to show our regional farce?
These are the questions hunted me, in the aftermath of my recent visit of Bangalore city.
I am a citizen of India and a permanent resident of Kerala. I had visited the Bangalore city, recently. I feel that the regionalist approach is utmost in Bangalore.
I do share an observation.
- It is regarding the number plates affixed with many of the vehicles, seen in the Bangalore city. Contrary to the universally accepted practice, many of the vehicles bearing Registration number in Kannada numerical. This is absurd and ridiculous.
- The number plate in a vehicle is not a means to show our regional farce. It is a reference, by which one can identify all particulars of a vehicle. The rule prescribes that the number plates should be exhibited in the prescribed format, which is quite visible to every one. The intention of the law makers is to let others aware of the Registration Number.
- But, it is a common phenomenon in Bangalore that the number plates of several vehicles possess Registration number in Kannada and Kannada alone. Here 2 questions are necessary.
- What is the purpose of a number plate?
- Is it a means to show our regional farce?
- The purpose, as I understood, is to make others know the details of a vehicle, when there is dispute or complaints. Hence it is a sensible issue as how a person, who does not know the Kannada numerical, can understand the content of this regional number plate? I am so glad, if all Kannadigas are able to read the Kannada numerical. But still it’s a sensible issue, because of its patent illegality.
- The regionalism is everywhere in the country and even our Politicians and intelligentia has acknowledged it as a social reality. It may be a moot question whether genuinely we have ‘unity in diversity’ or not. But when we come to this specific issue, I am sad, because, it may not happen in a Federal Republic Country. It is an invasion to the individual right. Right to do an act ought to be subjected to the rights of others to know. Then only the act can be called as a reasonable one. In absence of said reasonableness, the same shall be mere absurdity.
- If a vehicle bearing Kannada Registration No. may hit and run, then no one can identify that number, unless he knows Kannada Numerical. So, before entering Bangalore, it cast a duty on all foreigners, (Foreigner includes all those do not Kannada) to by heart Kannada Numerical.
- I do not know, why the law enforcing authority is not addressing this sensitive issue.
- I do not know why the intelligentia of our group is silent on this issue.
Yours truly,
Manuvilsan
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