Editor,
Apropos the editorial , “Capital disgrace” (ST Feb, 4, 2013), though New Delhi is the capital of heterogeneous India, but practically it is a pure North Indian city sandwiched between the Hindi-belt states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Due to the physical proximity of Delhi with the Hindi-belt and numerous unfair advantages that the speakers of the “Rajbhasa” get in the service sector, the city is dominated by the Hindi-speaking people. And since their language is the “Rashtrabhasa”(though neither the Constitution nor the judiciary attest to it) and “Rajbhasa” as well, the Hindi-speakers not only assume themselves as the “Raja” of this multi-lingual democratic country, they also treat the non-Hindi speaking regions as their “colonies”. Thus it is natural that they would regard the non-Hindi speakers as their “subjects”. “Inspired” by this imperialistic mindset; they treat all people, language, culture hailing from outside the Hindi belt as “philistine” and subjects/objects of contempt! Thanks to the Mongoloid features of its inhabitants and national media’s lethargy in highlighting the successful personalities and culture of the exquisite region, North-east is nothing but an “alien” country in the eyes of the supremely parochial lot. Thus people from that region have to bear with maximum hatred, contempt and indifference in the national capital.
While the likes of Goa, Kerala, Orissa, West Bengal, Manipur or Meghalaya possess unique culture of immense cerebral value, New Delhi is absolutely rootless as far as culture is concerned. Barring few exceptions, the whole city assumes that pub-hopping, drinking, bike-racing at the dead of night, obscene dancing at night clubs as the epitome of “culture” or “entertainment”. Augmented by immense monetary power most often earned by dubious means, political clout and Bollywood’s commercialisation of women through vulgar display of female bodies, members of the fairer sex are being regarded as “sex objects”. Also the city believes that violent behaviour on the streets, mouthing of abuses and engaging in physical brawls are the supreme form of “masculinity”!
Though it is the moral duty of all to learn the local language of the concerned regions where they have settled in or are residing for purposes of education or service, New Delhi is not the backyard of any particular linguistic group. It is the capital of a democratic heterogeneous country where no one can dare to demand compulsory use of Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali or Assamese. Each and every individual is free to speak the language he/she is comfortable in. Also no racist holds any authority to physically assault any community just because of his/her “sin” of not speaking in any particular tongue. If Hindi-speakers; specially in the land of coward, pusillanimous, pseudo-nationalist Bengalis can boldly exercise their own mother tongue without caring to learn even a bit of Bengali, there lies no reason why the North-Eastern communities will have to learn Hindi and speak in it while staying in New Delhi.
It is high time the Delhi-ites are educated about the North-East and the need to accord due respect to all people irrespective of their class, race, origin and sex. If the perpetrators of the crimes are not awarded exemplary punishment and vehement protests are not lodged across the country for the victims of all hues, the vulnerable innocent individuals will continue to be discriminated and killed in the national capital.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Kolkata -114