I have spent 16 years of my life in the state of Bihar, right from my birth. Needless to say, it stirs up my soul whenever there's a question raised on the integrity of the people of Bihar, in general. I can, anyday vouch for the fact that I have met some of the most ferociously intelligent and genetically honest people from the state. My father has spent around 35 years working in the state. We were rather respected there, as Bengalis have historically had evidences of good grey matter and 'dowry' is absent atleast in more areas of West Bengal than it is in Bihar. My mother, being a teacher, still recalls some of the brightest brains who she had as her students and are now doctors & engineers in different parts of the country. Few of the top rankers in exams like IIT-JEE, CBSE-PMT, IAS entrance etc are inevitably from Bihar.
I wouldn't deny that there is lawlessnes, corruption and ignorance in many parts of Bihar but all of us know, a lot of it is the political melodrama that foists such misfortune in the state. Such that so many people with brilliant results are questioned when they produce their certificates.
And now, they are being beaten up in Maharashtra just because the lower classes from Bihar toil hard to become taxi drivers, carpenters, sweepers, cobblers etc in cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi.
I owe allegiance to the city of Mumbai as it has really taught me a way of life but the vibrance of the city lies in its myriad hues. The day it loses its cosmopolitan nature, I can bet, it will no longer be the same Mumbai.
I have spent 4 years in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and 85-90% of the population there heralded from sub-urban and urban areas of Maharashtra, never did they question the remaining 10% OMS (Outside Maharashtra students) for their entry or stay in Maharashtra. Rather they were happy to learn/know from people who they were alien to. Atmost, they would express sympathy for the fact that they could visit their hometowns on a long weekend and we couldn't, owing to the distance from our homes.
And here in Mumbai, a stranger woman in the local train (Marathi by birth but married to a Punjabi man) had the audacity to ask me when will I leave Mumbai! I was spellbound!!
Not that I would let this women cast a shadow on the nice memories I have because of helpful souls in the city but I just pondered for a while - Does she need to stay in Punjab or Maharashtra now?
I have stayed in Kolkata, West Bengal for around 2 years but the Bengali culture, per se, makes me feel close to home. However, the recent incident with Tatas not only hangs my head in shame, it feels like a huge personal loss. The city which was the breeding ground for most intellectuals in the country once upon a time has been asleep for a very long time now. And the ones who are still shining, have to head out of the state, out of their homes for opportunities that they could sustain and excel in. I do not quite understand the political nuances of what happened but all I know from the common people like me, is - It was a huge loss for Kolkata and for West Bengal!
Kolkata is unfortunately now known as the city of strikes! Intellect still remains genetically intact with an average Bengali and has been demonstrated through several examples but what is now lacking is a will to win!
The world is changing really fast and India continues to lose every day on account of these disturbances arising in different parts of the country, out of falsified emotions based on language, caste, religion.
Not that none of us knew this before but my curiosity to know how many of us (amongst the educated Indians) can really stand up and say, "India is my homeland" and feel it too while crossing boundaries of states within India...
