Who am I?

I was always under the impression that my name and nationality were enough to define my identity. Unfortunately, when I look around today, I find that these are not enough. My community, religion, caste, among others, seem more important than my nationality or even my name. Not only me, I feel, every one of us has gone through this or will go through this at some stage of his life. I wonder why? Is a name not good enough or a nationality not comprehensive enough? Or is it that we are just tired of our forefather’s principles of unity in diversity and decided that we need more segregation or more polarization to spice things up a bit?

You might ask why I am being an alarmist when our exalted Constitution, which was adopted and enacted on this very day sixty three years ago, and whose preamble still reads we, the people of India, live in a secular country, among other things, and when a so-called 'secular' political party is in power at the Centre. Well, maybe because few read the Constitution and fewer still believe in it. Or maybe, because a Sikh Prime Minister and a 'foreign' head just ain't enough for secularism. Or maybe, because a bearded man with dyed hair and sunglasses sporting the saffron look found himself on a nice big pyre, but without his ideas about driving out 'outsiders' from his 'home', which continue to inspire pyres of another sort. Or maybe, because another dude to his north might just win yet another election when he should be winning a life sentence. Or maybe, just maybe, I have gone bonkers and couldn't come up with anything else to write.

Let's assume, at least for now, that I am not mad, that I am making some sense, and that this cocktail of identities is a problem, a huge problem for us. If it’s a problem, then who is to blame for it? Why not us, I say? Let's face it. If these problems are present, they are present because we sponsor it. What say you? You might say that you have never indulged in any such discrimination of community, religion, and caste, but isn't staying silent a crime, too? I once heard that if you allow a murder to take place in front of your eyes, you are liable for prosecution as an abetter to that crime. If that is true, isn't this the same?

Let's look at a few instances in our country to better know our roles in them. The recently departed saffron guy has this young nephew, who was supposed to, if I remember correctly, have broken off with him. But, the nephew, it seems, forgot to break up with his ideas, too, for recently, he decided to revive regionalism in the commercial capital of the country. Common sense says that it’s nothing but hogwash. Then, is he stupid? Not at all. He is smart and he knows that this gets him votes, enough of them to come to power after years in the shadow. How does he know this? Because these tricks helped his dead uncle win once, and he knows that they will help them win as well. But, who votes for them? We do, who else, or at least, a large majority among us. So, who is to blame for their behaviour? We are.

Just north of the border, the other one with the glasses might actually win for the third time in a row. And, here I was thinking he would be sent to jail. Well, maybe next time. So, how did he win? The press people talked about something called 'polarization politics'. The little I could understand of this big word is that 'leaders', here, play one group off another on the basis of a dividing line, which was religion, in this case. And, if 'leaders' are on the right side of this line, which is normally the majority one, then they will romp home to victory. But, who is divided here? Again, it is we who are herded together, made to kill, and then, finally, made to vote for our herders. So, I think you would agree that here, too, we are to blame for their behaviour.

Another instance, the final one, okay. I heard another term from the newsmen, 'minority vote bank politics'. This, I think, involves the same playing one group off another, the difference here being that it is 'the oppressed minority' vs. 'the oppressive majority'. Also, the 'leader' prefers the minority in this case. Some lady up north, if I recall correctly, won an election because of this. One final time, then, who is to blame? Right you are, Sir, we are.

You must have fallen asleep by now. Well, if you haven't, kudos to you. Anyways, I am bored of typing. So, I will end it, here and now. I know what I have written is not academic enough, not formal enough, not scholarly enough. But, that's the point. It's straight talk, straight from the heart. I feel it, I believe in it, and I mean it. I know that this essay will not make a difference, either way. It will be relegated to the blogosphere somewhere, read by a few, and forgotten by all. No problem. I don’t want too many people to read my crap, either. But, I will still say this. The identity problem of this country, as all the other problems, is my problem, your problem, our problem. We are responsible for it and we have to solve it. If you like multiple identities, like fighting over it, shedding blood for it, this one’s not for you. But, if you are forgetful like me and prefer a single identity, say no to regionalism, say no to communalism, say no to casteism, say no to polarization, say no to segregation, and say it loud and clear.

Who am I? I am an Indian and I am bloody proud of it.