The Myth of National Integration

The Home Ministry has imposed a ban on Bulk SMSes and Multimedia messages for 15 days. Messages with attachments more than 25 kilobytes have also been banned. The security reason cited by the union Government for ban comes at a time when all the damages have already been done. The half-hearted decisions and the delay caused has not instilled as iota of confidence amongst the North-Easterners, who are fleeing from different parts of the country.

The violence that started as local issues between the Bodo’s and Economic migrants from Bangladesh has spread all over the country. The violence has not only affected the Bodo’s, but also the entire North East and other major cities of India.

 The chronicles of Indian History records that the entire province of East Bengal and Sylhet district of Assam opted to join the British dominion of Pakistan. Thousands entered India in 1971 as refugees due to the persecution of Pakistan army. The creation of Bangladesh absorbed the refugees back to their homeland.  Inference could be drawn from census records that the influx of Economic migrants has continued unabated for decades.

There could be case for genuine Bengali Indians settled in Bodo Area’s ; but the irony is that majority of the foreigners easily melt with them with the patronage of Union Government of India.

The Pseudo-Secularism and vote bank policies of the Indian Politicians have played havoc with the Human Geography of India. Secularism implies non-attachment of the state to any religion. Our politicians always had their own interpretation.

The reasons for mass exodus of North-Easterners are diverse; the primary among them being their mangolid race, which makes them vulnerable and easy to spot in a group of Dravidians or Aryans. Rumor mongers might have succeeded in creating hysteria but the fears are not unfounded. What was a local issue between a native and foreigner was allowed to take religious colors. Sporadic incidences of racial violence across the country proved the rumors to be true.

A society armed with a Non/statutory Intelligence of retaliatory attacks after Ramadan; a society which has seen Anti-Sikh, Anti-Christian and Anti-Muslim violence’s under various Governments cannot afford to take any chances with their own lives.

One positive facet of this episode is that the country has been informed about the contribution of NE- Indians to Indian economy. Construction, Hospitality and other service oriented business has been hit by their absence. Business has suffered in many parts of India.

Persistent exodus means lack of trust, especially with the Indian Republic. Propaganda requires no cell phones, trust requires sincerity; in the interest of National Integration the central Government must realize this and save its sinking ship.