When a neo-nationalist "invaded" hijab clad ladies, Bengali looking scholar in Delhi metro

By Aditi Kundu*
Travelling in Delhi metro on a daily basis to commute from Mayur Vihar to Dwarka, I see diverse people everyday. One can hear them talk about different aspects of life, from kitchen pilitics to national politics. On the morning of May 13, I witnessed a strange incident; disturbing and amusing at the same time.
There were two hijab clad ladies travelling in the same coach as me. The older one looked hurt with both her arms bandaged. The younger one was the daughter taking care of her. The mother wanted some water, and the daughter took out a bottle to give her some.
Suddenly there came a middle-aged woman, about 50-55 years old, and started hurling abuses at her. This lady stated how the metro belongs to her since she belongs to this country unlike them! She claimed to be a regular tax payer, hence a "valid" citizen of India. Therefore, she wouldn't allow anybody to drink water in the metro.
While I understand eating and drinking is not allowed in the metro, I'm sure, an old and ailing woman can be offered some water. As they were foreigners from Afghanistan, they got really shocked and scared at this behaviour.
When I intervened, judging me by my looks, she told me that since I'm a Bengali, I don't have the right to speak about matters pertaining to Delhi, and that, this is not Bengal. I was shell shocked that someone can scream and say such abhorrable things in a public space such as the Delhi metro.
I asked her which country is this, that doesn't consider Bengal a part of it? I have heard umpteen times statements such as these about Kashmir. This got me thinking about the new definition of India in geographical terms: (parts of) Uttar Pradesh, (definitely) Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and some parts of Maharashtra.
The rest of India is definitely cut off from the mainland through ideological boundaries set in the minds of people. Such despicable thoughts are not just a threat to national integrity but also a shameful act in front of foreigners.
This lady got off at Rajiv Chowk with that glass of water after a disgraceful display of psuedo nationalism. There she spoke to some metro officials about her sense of "entitlement" and "service towards the nation". Unfortunately nobody dared to say a word or challenge her on her act of snatching water from a sick and thirsty person, which is completely against basic humanity!
Like every nation, India can also be defined in terms of a certain ideology or value system. One of the most beautiful aspects of this country is its ability to absorb different cultures and communities and make them a part of the complete whole, that we call "India"!
We all have grown up singing the national anthem in school which talks about the lengths and breadth of this country, it's rivers and mountains, languages and people, all coming together as one.
However in recent times I have started doubting that. There are different nations for different people. For some, Kashmir is an integral part of India, when it comes to the “Azadi-Azadi" slogans being shouted in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), but the moment it is about having a Kashmiri Muslim being a part of our shared social system, whether in school, college, hospital or neighbourhood, the attachment to Kashmir reverses. It becomes, " Kashmiris should stay in Kashmir", or worse, "Muslims should go to Pakistan".
Indeed, our beautiful national anthem in this process has been reduced to becoming a symbol of aggressiveness that can give any person the right to physically and verbally abuse those in movie theatre, who do not wish to stand up for it, even though there's no law stating so.
Since I was not quick to make a video of it, I have requested DMRC to check if the incident has been captured in their cameras and have subsequently filed a complaint on their online portal, but to no avail as of now.
Delhi weather is really hot and it is going to get worse in the coming days. Drinking of water is one of the basic needs for survival. I personally believe it would be against the ethos of our country to refrain it's citizens and others as well, from drinking water in the name of cleanliness.
It is time metro authorities look into their announcements and make necessary amendments so that it cannot be misused by miscreants in our society to create disharmony and chaos.
---
*Faculty at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University's School of Architecture and Planning, Dwarka, National Capital Region

Comments

Unknown said…

It sickens me that such incidents are on the rise , where none comes forward to protest such contemptible behaviour of some psychogenic individuals and when one does , he/she is subjected to similar prejudice. Perhaps ,people should be sensitised about such issues but again some are so thick skinned , they won't understand.
We ourselves are the image makers/breakers of our country. Felt extremely sorry for the Afghanistan nationals to have experienced this situation.
Glad that you took the matter upfront and hope the DMRC officials take due cognizance of this and take disciplinary action against the lady.

May 16, 2019

Anonymous said…

Great that you raised your voice. Kudos to you. Don't let it bother you that others didn't. We have to keep at it even if we are alone. We can't let this country go to dogs because of some uneducated, narrow minded people. Let me also tell you that their is no restriction on drinking water in Delhi Metro.

May 17, 2019

Rama said…

I doubt the truthfulness of the whole incident. It seems to emanate from a certain anti-Hindu mindset , bent on disparaging the Hindu Right wing. Since this writer belongs to -- "Sabooth lao gang " , We too demand sabooth dikhao .

May 23, 2019

Aditi Kundu said…

This article is an outcome of my search for proof (video recording in metro coach) in a complaint letter filed by me to DMRC. (Saboot enclosed as screen shot. URL: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kO211SNJlw0/XOeOFL2uLEI/AAAAAAAAhWU/KvWbViHUWJsbsKdB98ejqMudBDAwb7eEgCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot_20190524-105153.png).
I can emphasize with the fact that there's no evidence to support the incident witnessed by me, hence one may find the article fabricated. The story is not important, the message is. If we closely look around, there are numerous such incidents that have become a part of our spectrum of acceptability. Like people getting bullied for not standing at theatres for the national anthem, Kashmiris being targetted after Pulwama, being lynched if suspected of possessing beef. All of this has happened in crowded public places while people supporting or not supporting it haplessly look on. And the empowering force for the oppresser is their definition of nationalism. So what is this new found nationalism and how is it enabling the bullies of our society to attack people, is what I've tried to question through the article. Also I felt that of we all stand up against such atrocities then it will be one step towards stopping it.

May 24, 2019

Anonymous said…

It is interesting to note that a person who doubts the truthfulness of this story automatically recognizes and associates boorish and aggressive behavior with the Hindu Right Wing.

May 27, 2019

'Enough evidence' in Indian tradition to support legal basis for same-sex marriage

By Iyce Malhotra, Joseph Mathai, Sandeep Chachra* The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage provides space for much-needed conversations on issues that have hitherto remained “invisible” or engaged with patriarchal locker room humour. We must recognize that people with diverse sexualities and complex gender identities have faced discrimination, stigma and decades of oppression. Their issues have mainly remained buried in dominant social discourse, and many view them with deep insecurities.

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Victim of communal violence, Christians in Manipur want Church leadership to speak up

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ* The first eleven days of May 2023 have, in many ways, been a defining period of Indian history! Plenty has happened in a rapid-fire stream of events. Ironically, each one of them are indicators of how crimes and the criminalisation of society has become the ‘new norm’; these include, the May Day rallies with a focus on the four labour codes which are patently against the rights of workers; the U S Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its Annual Report on 1 May stating that conditions for religious freedom in India “continued to worsen in 2022”; the continued protest by the Indian women wrestlers at Jantar Mantar for the expulsion of the chief of the Indian Wrestlers Federation on very serious allegations; the Elections in Karnataka on 10 May (with communalism and corruption as the mainstay); the release of the fake, derogative and insensitive film ‘The Kerala Story’; the release of World Free Press Index on 3 May which places India

Delhi HC rules in favour of retired Air Force officer 'overcharged' for Covid treatment

By Rosamma Thomas* In a decision of May 22, 2023, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of petitioner Group Captain Suresh Khanna who was under treatment at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, between April 28 and May 5, 2021, for a period of eight days, for Covid-19 pneumonia. The petitioner had to pay Rs 3,55,286 as treatment costs, but the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) only reimbursed him for Rs 1,83,748, on the basis of government-approved rates.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Unlike other revolutionaries, Hindutva icon wrote 5 mercy petitions to British masters

By Shamsul Islam* The Hindutva icon VD Savarkar of the RSS-BJP rulers of India submitted not one, two,or three but five mercy petitions to the British masters! Savarkarites argue: “There are no evidences to prove that Savarkar collaborated with the British for his release from jail. In fact, his appeal for release was a ruse. He was well aware of the political developments outside and wanted to be part of it. So he kept requesting for his release. But the British authorities did not trust him a bit” (YD Phadke, ‘A complex Hero’, "The Indian Expres"s, August 31, 2004)

Polygamy in India "down" in 45 yrs: Muslims' from 5.7 to 2.55%, Hindus' 5.8 to 1.77%, "common" in SCs, STs

By Rajiv Shah Amidst All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) justifying polygamy, saying it “meets social and moral needs and the provision for it stems from concern and sympathy for women”, facts suggest the the practice is down from 5.7 per cent of Muslim families in 1961 to 2.55 per cent in 2006.

India joining US sponsored trade pillar to hurt Indian farmers, 'promote' GM seeds, food

Counterview Desk As many as 32 civil society organisations (CSOs), in a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and India joining the trade pillar, have said that its provisions will allow the US to ensure a more favourable regulatory regime “for enhancing its exports of genetically modified (GM) seeds and GM food”, underlining, it will “significantly hurt the livelihoods of Indian farmers.”

Modi govt 'wholly untrustworthy' on Covid data, censored criticism on pandemic: Lancet

By Rajiv Shah* One of the world’s most prestigious health journals, brought out from England, has sharply criticised the Narendra Modi government for being “wholly untrustworthy on Covid-19 health data”, stating, the “official government figures place deaths at more than 530 000, while WHO excess death estimates for 2020 and 2021 are near 4·7 million.”

Search This Blog