I am a person who belongs to the majority community. My family members didn’t vote for the governing party, and even if they did, it is as normal as any other community voting for the party that claims to represent it.
So, does this make me a supporter of the majoritarian rule? Why is that when we talk about community rights, we predominantly refer to minority community rights?
Only a few years back, most people of the Hindu community went about their mundane businesses unaffected and ignorant of the many possible interpretations of their holy book. While there is a genuine reason for any Hindu to be seduced by what Savarkar, Golvalkar and the like, said (the reason being their claim of the superiority of the Hindu race), but funnily a preponderant part of the majority community had already moved past it.
Unbeknownst to why, the entire Hindu community is being tagged as conservative, orthodox, intolerant and insensitive towards the minority. This opinion is but based on the ideology reflected only by the people in power.
The other day I was found defending the current government, mainly because I am impressed by their foreign and economic policies. But my co-debaters felt otherwise. The question is if it’s really that difficult to see somebody as a rational individual rather than reducing their identity merely to their caste or religion.
Recently I met a guy on Tinder and realized that to belong to the majority community and have a thing for surnames is a huge deal, especially nowadays. Regardless, owing to my curiosity, I asked him his full name which happened to be Harsh Nagar.
Additionally, he told me that he is a Gujjar, immediately after which he asked if that makes a difference. I replied it does not.
As a matter of fact, it does make a difference.
I hail from an orthodox Hindu-Brahmin family. Although I know my constitutional rights and will definitely fight for a worthy relationship if it comes down to that, but it’s just that there are few boundaries in my life irrespective of all the rights provided in the Constitution (credits – Beloved parents).
I am very much ashamed to admit that all my education hasn’t yet been able to build the courage in me to sideline these senseless regulations. These are but my individual failures and shouldn’t be seen as my caste or religious pride.
What is required of people in the present times is to understand that one can be a chauvinist communitarian, hungry for power rather than merely a Hindu, Muslim or Sikh. And that would be his/his individual identity distinguishable from his community beliefs.
If you have anything to say on this, write down in the comment section. Do I really need to instruct you to be respectful and sensible while commenting ?
Disclaimer: This post was prepared or accomplished by the author in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Tomatoheart.com staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.