4 ms·

I'm really happy that the author found a place that he could truly call home. However, his generalisation of India largely based on a single incident comes acro

by karterk 10y ago

I'm really happy that the author found a place that he could truly call home. However, his generalisation of India largely based on a single incident comes across as rather shallow and naive. Yeah sure India has many quirks, but I can't find another country which has people from so many diverse backgrounds (religion, language, customs) who co-exist so peacefully. Let's also not forget that the legalisation of same-sex marriage is a recent development even in the USA.

intopieces 10y ago
>Yeah sure India has many quirks, but I can't find another country which has people from so many diverse backgrounds (religion, language, customs) who co-exist so peacefully. "India, one of the most diverse countries in the world with a population of 1.3 billion, experiences severe caste and tribal discrimination, and in recent decades has seen a notable increase in sectarian violence." Bettye Miller's piece on Ajay Verghese, author of The Colonial Origins of Ethnic Violence in India (2016) [0] [0]https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/37140 https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/37140
- Ar-Curunir 10y ago
  A notable increase does not imply a large amount of violence. And personally I doubt that India had less sectarian violence in the past; it was just covered less dramatically.
  - lake99 10y ago
    I agree there, and lacking any concrete data, it's better to not pass off opinion or speculation as fact. For quite a lot of the sectarian violence, I blame the government and the political parties for having policies that favour some castes over others, and for being soft on sectarian violence. Moreover we, in the middle class, who lead lives far away from politics, are largely isolated from these shenanigans.
  - intopieces 10y ago
    Truly, you and I operate with different definitions of "peaceful coexistence" if yours has room for tribal discrimination and sectarian violence.
    - gammaray9 10y ago
      http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-subjugat_b_6236976.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-s...
thebooktocome 10y ago
The author mentioned three incidents: the student protests, the large funeral of his father's assassin, and his treatment by Indian border patrol. India is light-years behind the rest of the developing world in part because it subjugates hundreds of millions of its own citizens.
- ttam 10y ago
  His father's funeral was in Pakistan, not India
- sreejithr 10y ago
  Having spent 25 years of life in India, I'd say the "subjugation" is largely political and isolated occurrences in uneducated parts of the country. And that too, what usually starts as a brawl regarding everyday matters quickly turns communal after some politician eyes the chance to milk some mileage out of it. The Indian identity, luckily till now, isn't based on religious lines. Though I have to agree, Pakistan-hate is strong in India and any remote Pakistan-love (even cheering for the Pakistan cricket team) can be seen as anti-nationalism and could lead to a sedition charge. This is, of course, due to the 3 wars fought since independence.
- gammaray9 10y ago
  > behind because it subjugates Since 1951, there has been equal vote for every Indian citizen. Equal voting rights for all citizens was not true even in the US until its voting rights act of 1965.
  - thebooktocome 10y ago
    Voting is not the only human right, nor does it prevent the majority from oppressing minorities.
    - gammaray9 10y ago
      The original word 'subjugate' is directly linked to absence of representation - i.e. voting rights. To the second point on oppression, find this interesting reading - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-subjugat_b_6236976.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-s.... Feel free to compare incarceration rates.
kumarm 10y ago
[ based on a single incident comes across as rather shallow and naive.] Not True. There is a trend happening. An actress who never went to college (and tried to fake her certificates) was made 'Higher Education Minister'. The actress who knows drama very well is turning every university into a theater. Why are there so many disturbing incidents in Indian universities in last 2 years?
- shripadk 10y ago
  Or maybe those disturbing incidents are because of the imploding corrupt university system? If you actually studied in an Indian university (especially those aided/funded by the government) you'll know how corrupt the entire system is. Corruption in India begins at the school level. The recent topper scam in Bihar (which led to the fraudulent topper being jailed) exposed how deeply-rooted corruption in education system is: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bihar-topper-scam-topper-ruby-rai-arrested-bihar-cheating-bihar-class-xii-board-scam-2880193/ http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/biha...
- Ar-Curunir 10y ago
  You've got to be joking right? How is the situation any different than Rahul Gandhi being Congress's Prime Ministerial candidate? Or Laloo Prasad Yadav being Railway Minister?
  - ashayh 10y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
    - Ar-Curunir 10y ago
      The parent was specifically stating things have gotten worse recently; I was pointing out that they haven't really.

by karterk 10y ago

intopieces 10y ago

>Yeah sure India has many quirks, but I can't find another country which has people from so many diverse backgrounds (religion, language, customs) who co-exist so peacefully. "India, one of the most diverse countries in the world with a population of 1.3 billion, experiences severe caste and tribal discrimination, and in recent decades has seen a notable increase in sectarian violence." Bettye Miller's piece on Ajay Verghese, author of The Colonial Origins of Ethnic Violence in India (2016) [0] [0]https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/37140 https://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/37140

Ar-Curunir 10y ago
A notable increase does not imply a large amount of violence. And personally I doubt that India had less sectarian violence in the past; it was just covered less dramatically.
- lake99 10y ago
  I agree there, and lacking any concrete data, it's better to not pass off opinion or speculation as fact. For quite a lot of the sectarian violence, I blame the government and the political parties for having policies that favour some castes over others, and for being soft on sectarian violence. Moreover we, in the middle class, who lead lives far away from politics, are largely isolated from these shenanigans.
- intopieces 10y ago
  Truly, you and I operate with different definitions of "peaceful coexistence" if yours has room for tribal discrimination and sectarian violence.
  - gammaray9 10y ago
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-subjugat_b_6236976.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-s...

thebooktocome 10y ago

The author mentioned three incidents: the student protests, the large funeral of his father's assassin, and his treatment by Indian border patrol. India is light-years behind the rest of the developing world in part because it subjugates hundreds of millions of its own citizens.

ttam 10y ago
His father's funeral was in Pakistan, not India
sreejithr 10y ago
Having spent 25 years of life in India, I'd say the "subjugation" is largely political and isolated occurrences in uneducated parts of the country. And that too, what usually starts as a brawl regarding everyday matters quickly turns communal after some politician eyes the chance to milk some mileage out of it. The Indian identity, luckily till now, isn't based on religious lines. Though I have to agree, Pakistan-hate is strong in India and any remote Pakistan-love (even cheering for the Pakistan cricket team) can be seen as anti-nationalism and could lead to a sedition charge. This is, of course, due to the 3 wars fought since independence.
gammaray9 10y ago
> behind because it subjugates Since 1951, there has been equal vote for every Indian citizen. Equal voting rights for all citizens was not true even in the US until its voting rights act of 1965.
- thebooktocome 10y ago
  Voting is not the only human right, nor does it prevent the majority from oppressing minorities.
  - gammaray9 10y ago
    The original word 'subjugate' is directly linked to absence of representation - i.e. voting rights. To the second point on oppression, find this interesting reading - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-subjugat_b_6236976.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ira-glasser/legacy-of-racial-s.... Feel free to compare incarceration rates.

kumarm 10y ago

[ based on a single incident comes across as rather shallow and naive.] Not True. There is a trend happening. An actress who never went to college (and tried to fake her certificates) was made 'Higher Education Minister'. The actress who knows drama very well is turning every university into a theater. Why are there so many disturbing incidents in Indian universities in last 2 years?

shripadk 10y ago
Or maybe those disturbing incidents are because of the imploding corrupt university system? If you actually studied in an Indian university (especially those aided/funded by the government) you'll know how corrupt the entire system is. Corruption in India begins at the school level. The recent topper scam in Bihar (which led to the fraudulent topper being jailed) exposed how deeply-rooted corruption in education system is: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bihar-topper-scam-topper-ruby-rai-arrested-bihar-cheating-bihar-class-xii-board-scam-2880193/ http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/biha...
Ar-Curunir 10y ago
You've got to be joking right? How is the situation any different than Rahul Gandhi being Congress's Prime Ministerial candidate? Or Laloo Prasad Yadav being Railway Minister?
- ashayh 10y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
  - Ar-Curunir 10y ago
    The parent was specifically stating things have gotten worse recently; I was pointing out that they haven't really.