Peaceful coexistence is one of the key tenets but when it comes to life-changing decisions like marriage, we still let caste and religion come in the way. Is ‘unity’ a myth?
Let me articulate the statement only with respect to India.
The problem why India boasts of Unity in diversity and not many other countries is the absence of persecution to certain /minority religious groups.
Considering the fact that India was Independent since 1947, and no minority religion got persecuted until then, the then historians of India went on and branded “Unity in Diversity” w.r.t India.
Other major reasons that could be attributed to the phrase are
Parsi’s: Took refuge in India, when they were persecuted in Iran
When the world over Jews was getting massacred and discriminated, India never really bothered about them.
Al-Badia faith has one of it’s biggest temple in India.
India is the country with largest number of mosques and the second-highest number of muslim population.
Parallelly in the world what was happening was
Hitler was busy massacring the jews
Mussolini was fucking up Italy
Blacks/ Martin Luther King was fighting for their rights
South Africa was practicing apartheid
Australia completed did away with their aborigines
England had colonized half the world
So compared to the above all factors, our dear historians overlooked certain things/parameters gave India the brand “Unity in Diversity”.
What factors did they overlook:
Inter-religious marriages rarely happened
People of different religions existed /lived in different areas.
Ghettoization was rampant.
Caste discrimination in Hinduism
Within Hindu society people living along caste lines
Yes, it was a fine society, where no one bothered exactly or particularly about the other.
Intermingling outside once the community was a rarity
None bothered about other’s privileges and rights, everyone was supposedly happy with what they had
It was akin to being called the most beautiful air hostess in Air India, where most women are middle-aged. It doesn’t matter.
People travel in Air India for vegetarian food and convenient timings.
Sorry, Air India.
So welcome to the modern day year 2019, are we actually United in the first place ??
India is still living in the laurels of its past.
People still fight over caste.
People riot asking for reservations in jobs and education
Inter-caste marriage is still viewed with contempt.
Inter-religious marriages are still a big taboo.
Ghettoization has rampantly increased.
Vote bank politics have alienated many people
Education is still a privilege many can’t afford.
So, what we are is just a broken pot glued together, which will hold water till the glue lasts.
That glue is called “India”.
But I really wonder have we Unified as a country?
Not until caste and religions are kept aside from politics and power in India we haven’t really unified.
-Subroneel Saha