Weird Bihari sub-nationalismby--Soroor Ahmed
Several experts attribute the backwardness of Bihar to the absence of the Bihari sub-nationalism. Whether they are right or wrong is not the issue here as there are many geo-sociological causes of the backwardness of the state. What they argue is that West Bengal, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu etc are more developed because there is sub-nationalistic zeal among the people of these states.
There is no doubt that Biharis are derided, ridiculed and even humiliated not only in Maharashtra, but also in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Delhi etc. Very often they are collectively dubbed as uncivilized and ignorant bunch of people, who lack manner and etiquette. This notwithstanding the fact that an overwhelming number of both skilled and unskilled workers from Bihar are contributing to the development of these states.
Rahul Raj, who died at the hands of the Mumbai Police on October 27, may go down in the history as the first person in the recent memory to consciously lay down his life in the name of Bihari sub-nationalism. His action can never be justified or condoned but there is no dearth of people who may declare him as the first martyr for the cause of the state. However, it is also true that he may be forgotten by the people in the way nobody now remembers those who self-immolated themselves during the anti-Mandal agitation of early 1990s.
Rahul's is a typical urban middle class story. He is the son of Kundan Prasad Singh, a teacher at Arvind Mahila College in Patna. He was reportedly in search of job in Mumbai and was very much agitated over the anti-Bihari feeling frequently whipped by Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leaders Bal Thackeray and Raj Thackeray.
Youths like Rahul Raj take up arms when they feel that the community to which they belong is being ignored and neglected. They feel let down, humiliated and cornered. It needs to be understood that Rahul resorted to the tactic of 'hijacking' a bus in Mumbai just at the height of the anti-Thackerays movement in Bihar.
Unlike the unemployed youths of Maharasthra there is nobody to take up their cause. The mainstream political leaders of the state be it Lalu, Nitish or Ram Vilas can certainly not behave like the Thackerays and whip up anti-Maharashtra sentiment in their own state.
However, people like Thackerays––Bal, Raj and Udhav––have by their action made saner and democratic leadership irrelevant in Bihar. Even if a minuscule proportion of the state youth think that gun is the solution than they are wrong. Sub-nationalism or even nationalism can not be put on display with the help of revolver, especially in the land from where Gandhi launched the first non-violent movement.
There is no doubt that Biharis are derided, ridiculed and even humiliated not only in Maharashtra, but also in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Delhi etc. Very often they are collectively dubbed as uncivilized and ignorant bunch of people, who lack manner and etiquette. This notwithstanding the fact that an overwhelming number of both skilled and unskilled workers from Bihar are contributing to the development of these states.
Rahul Raj, who died at the hands of the Mumbai Police on October 27, may go down in the history as the first person in the recent memory to consciously lay down his life in the name of Bihari sub-nationalism. His action can never be justified or condoned but there is no dearth of people who may declare him as the first martyr for the cause of the state. However, it is also true that he may be forgotten by the people in the way nobody now remembers those who self-immolated themselves during the anti-Mandal agitation of early 1990s.
Rahul's is a typical urban middle class story. He is the son of Kundan Prasad Singh, a teacher at Arvind Mahila College in Patna. He was reportedly in search of job in Mumbai and was very much agitated over the anti-Bihari feeling frequently whipped by Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leaders Bal Thackeray and Raj Thackeray.
Youths like Rahul Raj take up arms when they feel that the community to which they belong is being ignored and neglected. They feel let down, humiliated and cornered. It needs to be understood that Rahul resorted to the tactic of 'hijacking' a bus in Mumbai just at the height of the anti-Thackerays movement in Bihar.
Unlike the unemployed youths of Maharasthra there is nobody to take up their cause. The mainstream political leaders of the state be it Lalu, Nitish or Ram Vilas can certainly not behave like the Thackerays and whip up anti-Maharashtra sentiment in their own state.
However, people like Thackerays––Bal, Raj and Udhav––have by their action made saner and democratic leadership irrelevant in Bihar. Even if a minuscule proportion of the state youth think that gun is the solution than they are wrong. Sub-nationalism or even nationalism can not be put on display with the help of revolver, especially in the land from where Gandhi launched the first non-violent movement.
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