RACISM ----------> FANATICISM
As if RACISM was not enough, FANATICISM is brewing...
The Cauvery water tribunal's judgement is out much and TN CM seems to be happy about it as the judgement is in TN's favour. I am sure the ruling party workers would carry out slogans like "Thanneer Vaangi kudutha Thanneer/Tamil Thalaivar"(Sorry guys, I dont know how to translate this in English). Minutes after the judgement came out, the SW and other companies in Bangalore have declared half a day holiday and asked the employees to go home safely. It is also learned that all schools and colleges would be closed tomorrow for fear of stone pelting and ruthless assault on tamilians on the road. You can ask me "How does this affect you, someone sitting at LA miles away from Bangalore?" Well, I can just identify with what the tamil population in Bangalore would be feeling right now, the goosebumps they will have before they dare venture into the streets tomorrow to buy a packet of milk. Reason: I have gone through all the chaos which happened in Bangalore in 2003 thanks again to a Cauvery Judgement.
A couple of us especially freshers who joined a MNC in Bangalore were bullied and intimated by fellow colleagues or should I call them fanatics. We were abused left and right with words, thank god they did not physically assault us as they were scared they would get sacked.
"Why are you working in Karnataka? Why dont you go back to Tamilnadu?"
"Why are you not talking in Kannada? Why are you talking in English?"
These questions were posed again and again for a week or more and it went to such extent that we were scared to be in the same meeting/conference call with them. Infact there was one guy who bullied me so much that I reported about this guy and these sentiments to my manager who unfortunately was a tamilian. Having just returned from US, he was not aware of such sentiments and asked me "How come that guy does not say all that to me? I am a tamilian, too" to which I replied "You are his boss, if he does that to you, he knows you will kick his ass out. Since I am a junior in the team, he is bullying me." Things were resolved soon and he owed us an apology but did not speak to us since then.
I remember how one guy was beaten by some people in Indiranagar for talking over a phone in Tamil...The mere thought about it makes me shudder...Agreed that such fanaticism prevails in TN too but I dont think that these kinda feelings are prevalent in educated circles.
My dad tells me that when he went to Mysore few days back to visit a friend, some guy in the bus asked him "Why are you tamilians stepping your feet in Karnataka Soil? This place is for only kannadigas." My dad had replied "If you are so particular about who should be here, why do you let the MNCs set their business here?"
Anyways I just hope that things dont turn our ugly and people are safe in Bangalore.
The Cauvery water tribunal's judgement is out much and TN CM seems to be happy about it as the judgement is in TN's favour. I am sure the ruling party workers would carry out slogans like "Thanneer Vaangi kudutha Thanneer/Tamil Thalaivar"(Sorry guys, I dont know how to translate this in English). Minutes after the judgement came out, the SW and other companies in Bangalore have declared half a day holiday and asked the employees to go home safely. It is also learned that all schools and colleges would be closed tomorrow for fear of stone pelting and ruthless assault on tamilians on the road. You can ask me "How does this affect you, someone sitting at LA miles away from Bangalore?" Well, I can just identify with what the tamil population in Bangalore would be feeling right now, the goosebumps they will have before they dare venture into the streets tomorrow to buy a packet of milk. Reason: I have gone through all the chaos which happened in Bangalore in 2003 thanks again to a Cauvery Judgement.
A couple of us especially freshers who joined a MNC in Bangalore were bullied and intimated by fellow colleagues or should I call them fanatics. We were abused left and right with words, thank god they did not physically assault us as they were scared they would get sacked.
"Why are you working in Karnataka? Why dont you go back to Tamilnadu?"
"Why are you not talking in Kannada? Why are you talking in English?"
These questions were posed again and again for a week or more and it went to such extent that we were scared to be in the same meeting/conference call with them. Infact there was one guy who bullied me so much that I reported about this guy and these sentiments to my manager who unfortunately was a tamilian. Having just returned from US, he was not aware of such sentiments and asked me "How come that guy does not say all that to me? I am a tamilian, too" to which I replied "You are his boss, if he does that to you, he knows you will kick his ass out. Since I am a junior in the team, he is bullying me." Things were resolved soon and he owed us an apology but did not speak to us since then.
I remember how one guy was beaten by some people in Indiranagar for talking over a phone in Tamil...The mere thought about it makes me shudder...Agreed that such fanaticism prevails in TN too but I dont think that these kinda feelings are prevalent in educated circles.
My dad tells me that when he went to Mysore few days back to visit a friend, some guy in the bus asked him "Why are you tamilians stepping your feet in Karnataka Soil? This place is for only kannadigas." My dad had replied "If you are so particular about who should be here, why do you let the MNCs set their business here?"
Anyways I just hope that things dont turn our ugly and people are safe in Bangalore.
Labels: Lifestyle
posted by Ananya S P at 5:12 PM
13 Comments:
we have such a demarcation between the states of the same nation,so much for the unity in diversity!!! yesterday most of my friends in bangalore were scared to their wits end, This week is gonna be real tense in bangalore.. so far so good.. lets hope we dont have a fiasco like last time..
Tamil Nadu, seperate state.
venki,
Thats what I am hoping for...Ulsoor is a problematic area as it has a concentrated tamil population...Basically its the Rajkumar fans who create problems...Darn them!
i,
Enna sollavara Sriram? Onnum puriyalai...
Even 400 years of foreign occupation couldnt cure us - the incurables.
I wont be surprised if Karnataka chooses to go to world court in geneva! :)
Ulagey maayam....
hi
fortunately the positions isn't as bad this time. Seemingly, cops cornered abt 700 regular vagabonds and abt 1600 or so Rapid Action Force were deployed in mufty and uniform all over Bangalore.
i was just doing some friday-evening-wait-for-cab browsing and hit your blog. Good blog, bye.
chax.
oracle,
Well said! I guess we dont need any Jade Goody...We have plenty in every state...Sigh!
deepa,
:)
chax,
Welcome...Good that the situation was curbed! Thanks :)
Tamilians should live in Tamilnadu or USA/Singapore/Malaysia. Anywhere else is at their own risk.
am in blore trow on work and am really scared that all shld go well and i do nto get stuck there
Rajesh
Its not safe for tamilians to live in TN too. Try speaking our colloquial tamil on the streets...They will call you "paapan..." :(
Artnavy,
Just be careful. Dont utter a word in Tamil. You could talk in English/Hindi.
>>"Agreed that such fanaticism prevails in TN too but I dont think that these kinda feelings are prevalent in educated circles."
As in, Tamilians are less fanatical and parochial?
U have no idea how proud I am of this lil blog entry!! I think its amazing tht we speak of ourselves (Indians) as 'targets' of racism when its so prevalent in our own land!! Great work..
zero,
I did not mean that...
lambuchops,
thanks :)
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