CONVINCE THEM TO LIVE & NOT TO LEAVE

Two days back, I received an SMS: "28 states, 1618 languages, 6400 castes, 6 religion, 6 ethnic groups, 29 festivals & one country. Happy Independence Day." Many of you too must have received such messages which actually remind us that we have unity in diversity, the most unique characteristic of our country despite many ills in governance at all levels, be it in district, state or central level.

But the desperate northeast people, mostly workers & students trying to get in Railway trains to get out of Silicon Valley of India and also from other southern states on so called rumors of harassment and reprisals is negating the above sentiments of unity in diversity. To say, this is another document of failure of our intelligence machinery to act proactively on the one hand and also failure of law & order machinery at local level  to restore faith and confidence among the affected innocent citizens on the other.  No doubt, the Karnataka Govt. took some initiatives to dispel the rumors, but it is taking its own time as the sense of insecurity and uncertainty is so profound in the minds of every citizen of the country, thanks to the general deterioration in administration & policing in all parts of Indian Union.

Now, the basic question is: should the citizens particularly educated youth of Bangalore & other such cities,  where from there has been large exodus of northeast people, let it go like this or come out in large numbers to convince the fleeing crowd to stay back as they would be their protectors. Some people & groups  are doing this in different ways, but more the number, better for speedy recovery of normalcy.  Media has a far greater role to play in such circumstances which, it is hoped, they would not be found wanting.

Notwithstanding these efforts by fellow citizens  and also by media, what the employers of these fleeing workers & principals/directors of educational institutions whose students are deserting the campus, are actually doing to instill confidence? Are they lending all kinds of emotional, physical & financial support to make them comfortable, safe & secured. The local Govt. must look into this aspect very discreetly and if need be, must convince them to perform their basic duty of a guardian. The constraints apart, together we can still  make this country a live-able place for all citizens irrespective of caste, creed, religion, place as envisaged by the founding fathers of our constitution and as the cherished wishes of 99.9999% we Indians.

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