The Thick Skinned Biharis

Binita Tiwari

New Delhi

Thu, 07 Feb 2008: 

Have you heard of a national gali? It’s Bihari. Have you heard of the thickest skinned people? It’s again Bihari. Have you heard of people who can survive all the indignities? Yes it’s Biharis?

Yes they are the people who are shot by ULFA, they are the people rebuked everywhere for their acnts, they are the people who are beaten in Mumbai.

Ironically the people of the two states (UP and Bihar) are accused of plundering the wealth of the states where they migrate to work, I was not knowing that Maharashtra’s road side vendors and taxi drivers are so reach and well off that they can give competition to Raj Thackeray.

The incident in Mumbai where people were seen being helplessly beaten on the road, in the train showed the extent of animosity for these people who came here to earn a life, lead a hard up life on the pavement, seems immune to uncouth treatment as they are to cold and hot humid climate.

The chocked voices, the pleading hands while they were beaten were the picture of people who know that no body will speak on their behalf, for their life is not precious to create a wave across the political arena, for their voice will go unheard.

Raj’s statement that accused Amitabh Bachchan of favouring UP his home state instead of Maharashtra clearly showed that this man lack understanding and wisdom. After the statement there were stray incidents of violence against North Indians but Raj defended his statement, will he prove his genuineness by asking the all NRIs not to invest in their countries and remain loyal to the country they are working. Can he question Tatas whose bases are at erstwhile Bihar? Can he negate the contribution of labourers from these states to Maharashtra’s economy?

This is again a calculated strategy of a novice politician who does not have his feet pinned on the ground to woo voters. But is he sure that Mumbaikars will vote for him for allegedly bringing bad name to the state, for hitting hard to the backbone of democracy?

Earlier too Raj Thackeray’s men were involved in beating up North Indians appearing for railway exam on Kalyan and Thane Railway station.

Maharashtra is the only state in west of India where growing influence of non- Marathi people has been a major concern, the Marathi ethnocentric party Shiv Sena of Bal Thackeray gave the slogan Maharashtra is for Maharashtrian in 1970’s , his ire against Muslim is a well known fact and against South Indian in 2002. Though the senior Thackeray now hums a different tune unlike his old ones.

But trailing on the same path the amputated arm of Shiv Sena Maharashtra Navinirman Sena of Raj Thackeray has stirred the controversy once again. His party workers like wild dogs went on a hunting spree targeting the Biharis and UPites.

The submissiveness of police was very much evident that they were the moot supporters of the crime and Raj Thackeray.

Bihar with golden history is shrunk to its abysmal law, the state is now known for its gundagardi, for the burden of poverty with least of the civic senses, corruption and unemployment. But it is also true that at the cost of Bihar other state developed, it was a mineral state with rich natural resources, the industrial policies that chose Bihar as the destination were very much aware of the presence of cheap labour there. Yes the Biharis were foolish that they never raised the issue that they never asked for decent life.

Many other politicians too justified the violence saying these people have infested Mumbai with crime so they deserve the beating. Raj is the same person who said that (on Mumbai Molestation case) ‘no Maharashtrian would behave in such way’ so all the accused were innocent. Such shameless are their justifications.

These incidents are blot to our nation where people unitedly fought for country’s independence and not for their respective states. Mumbai issue was a question mark on its cosmopolitan nature where people from all part of the country have contributed to its growth. But the cheap political gimmicks to devour the other crisis in the state are not only irresponsible but unfortunate too.

Maharashtra Manus Pride are no different from other Indians, such statement can create a divide and inflict danger to human value system. Raj statement that Chhath Puja is drama showed his cultural prejudices against other.

But here is a great saying by George Aiken “If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and colour, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon.”