Indians: Intolerant and Non Aligned

Amarthya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics and Professor at Cambridge and Harvard, on his writings of Indian culture, History and Identity calls Indian Argumentative.

I violently disagree with him. You may ask, How a novice, immature person like you dare to challenge a luminary like Professor Amarthya Sen?

Why not?

If a two penny gully goondas can bash up Mr. Shanti Bhushan or banish M. F. Hussein, and become ‘Breaking News’ ‘24 x 7’, why can’t I?

If someone fights against corruption undertaken by politicians, we are with him.

If someone tells us not to give bribes, not to take shortcuts, we will show him the way, the way out.

We are the largest Democracy of the world, but our world and our definition of democracy are our own.

We have the right of freedom of speech and expression,

Want proof,

See any breaking news where a Doctor is bashed, a School Principal’s face blackened, dress codes imposed, shop shattered on Valentine day...... What better example of freedom of expression do you need!

But if a Kashmiri or a person from North East, or even a person speaking on their behalf, demand his Right of Freedom and Expression, he is no longer an Indian. He is not patriotic may be he is a terrorist.

I can bash up anyone who does not agree with me and get released on bail the next day.

Others are to be condemned to the jail, raped, burnt or killed in encounters.

Is it a reflection / extension of our NAM culture? (NAM – Non Aligned Movement)?

We have problems with ideology. We have one set of parameters for us; different for the rest. While we may have no standing on the world stage we follow the Nehruvian principle and don’t hesitate to preach the world.

We can’t be capitalist or communist.

We can’t join NATO or WARSAW.

However we have no qualms in aligning with personalities, dictators, autocrats like, Muammar Gaddafi, Marshal Tito, Yasser Arafat, Hosni Mubarak, and Sukarno....

We are the cradle of Peace and Non violence what with India being the birth place of Buddhism, Jainism and Gandhism. But we are the most hated neighbour, forget Pakistan ask Nepal, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka to give us a character certificate.

Our definition of right and the wrong are our own, and it changes according to our needs, circumstances and requirements. We love Steve Job’s and his indium ‘My way or the Highway’. We should not forget that Steve Job’s was once thrown out of the company he founded!