Rambled @ 3:55 PM

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4 comment(s)

In the same vein, India has a dispute with each of her neighbours. Is India solely responsible for this?? I don't think that logic is good enough. There is a dispute because there are two parties involved. Each party is fighting for it's self-interest. Someday people will reach a compromise. Till then such things will happen. These pro-kannada bundhs/moratoriums are probably a result of some insecurity setting in the minds of kannadigas since they are now a minority in Bangalore and becoming increasingly so. Rather than work towards developing their language/culture in a constructive manner, they are asserting themselves in a not so positive manner. With time, kannadigas will realise this and change. From the point of view of a kannadiga, it is some kind of culture shock when the local shopwallah refuses to talk in Kannada, malls dont make announcements in kannada. This was not the case 10-15 years back.Some people adjust true to the often used/abused "swalpa adjust maadi" phrase. Some people don't. I think this is a better way of explaining things happening around you, rather than adopt the "Kannadigas suck" stand that you seem to be conveying in this and your previous posts.

Ashok

By  Anonymous (Oct 4, 2006, 9:31:00 PM)  

ashok: It is undeniable that India is _also_ part of the problem. Even if some of issues were created as a result of partition (J&K, Bangladesh), there's no doubt that successive governments are to blame for the status of our relationship with neighbours. I'd find it extremely hard to believe if someone told me that Karnataka isn't to blame for its relationships with its neighbouring states. I really can't think of _any_ other state in the Indian union which would be in a similar situation. This bundh was nothing to do about being in a minority in Bangalore. It was about Belgaum being part of Karnataka. Given that the Union Govt. was looking into the issue and that there was frenetic activity in Belgaum as well as packages doled out to north Karnataka, what was the need for this show of strength? Especially since this show of strength meant that millions of people who relied on their daily income to have a decent meal. My stand is _not_ that Kannadigas suck. My point is that the so called guardians of Kannada pride & culture suck. But if the general populace, such as say my cable TV provider, also gangs up against me, I'd venture to generalize it as well!

By  Jagadish (Oct 4, 2006, 10:06:00 PM)  

Just because there is a confrontation with neighbours, doesn't mean that your stand on the issue is wrong. You may find faults in the handling of the issue by the people in power, but ultimately you are guided by your own self-interest in such matters, though the definition of self-interest may change with time. I find it hard to believe that such a situation in which Karnataka find itself in, is not replicable in any other part of India and is somehow unique to being Kannadiga as you seem to suggest. My comment on the situation in Bangalore was more to do with your other posts on Bangalore than this one. And come on, Is cable tv so important that you start making generalizations about so many people you dont really know?

Ashok

By  Anonymous (Oct 4, 2006, 10:56:00 PM)  

Ashok: I didn't say Karnataka's stand on any of the issues with its neighbours is wrong. All I tried to point out was that Karnataka's disputes with its neighbours indicates to me either:

- a huge level of insecurity, or
- a very aggressive "Let's slug it out" mentality

Purely going by my experience living in Bangalore right now, and in other parts of India earlier, I can say that I haven't seen any other state in such a situation.

Cable TV may not be important. But that's merely an example. Yesterday, it was cable tv. Tomorrow, it could be the milk/vegetables/newspaper/electricity/water supplier. I'm paying a subscription. I have a right to uninterrupted telecast, unless there're technological reasons for the absence of a telecast.

This whole "You're in Karnataka, so you bloody well empathize with us" line is something I've heard several times before. When electricity goes off in my area and I call up the electricity department, I'm answered to in Kannada. I tell them I don't know Kannada ("Kannada gotthilla") and I give them a choice of three languages to correspond with me (English, Hindi, Tamil) and the person at the other end begins to talk to me in Hindi and then says "Tum Karnataka mein ho. Kannada mein baat karo". He then tells me that he can only speak in Kannada and Telugu. I know a little bit of Telugu since half of Madras speaks Telugu :), so I could figure out what he said, although he thought I was clueless.

By  Jagadish (Oct 5, 2006, 4:53:00 PM)  

I'd prefer if you posted comments with your real name to add more credibility to your opinions. Obviously comments containing offensive and unsuitable language will be deleted. The opinions in the comments are your own views. You are welcome to provide a URL to your own blog, especially if it discusses issues you find here.