Intolerance
The dictionary meaning of intolerance is lack of tolerance ie unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect opinions or beliefs contrary to one’s own or unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect persons of a different social group, especially members of a minority group
We have been recently reading so many opinions, judgments, on religious intolerance on TV channels, news papers internet etc consequent to one or two isolated cases of crime against a member of one community. Yesterday I was watching a TV channel show wherein intellectuals of Pakistan were discussing on this subject and had opined that intolerance against minorities in India has increased to an alarming situation. They are definitely right as they may have been unable to see this phenomenon in Pakistan or they must have deliberately closed their eyes as far as Pakistan is concerned. It is pertinent to mention here that hindu population in Pakistan has reduced from twenty six percent to one percent since 1947, and this could be one reason of their myopic vision. They may not have been able to see intolerance against members of a micro community by their fellow country men. Any country therefore can tolerate rare species ( just like we are tolerating tigers in our forests). When I was a child, I did not know how grand parents looked like. I did not have a privilege to see large joint families. The so called high tolerant society of Pakistan had eliminated a large hindu population from the country during 1948 and my grand parents along with several community members were also victims of such cold blooded massacres. Of course prior their killings, they were all given option by the so called highly tolerant Pakistan society to convert their religion. This option like many other members of my marshal community, refused and therefore achieved salvation as per hindu traditions.
Now coming back to the dictionary meaning of intolerance. The dictionary meaning of intolerance is unwillingness or refusal to tolerate or respect opinions or religious beliefs contrary to one’s own and therefore most of us must agree that a large population of Pakistan is an intolerant society beyond any doubts and allowing individuals from this society to participate in subjects of such serious discussions is a mockery of the subject it self.
Now let us come back to our indian society ie we the so called broad minded Indians. I do not know what made us to make a constitution of our republic during 1950 which created a dominating governance class through its reservation policy in government jobs. A community of people who hated individuals from so called upper classes due their own stupid beliefs.
I remember Punjab was partitioned during 1966-1967 and a new state namely Haryana emerged. A large population of SC ST OBC etc (A so called aggrieved community) had become a dominating group in governance of this state. This group had a brilliant idea to get rid of so called upper class Punjabi communities, A community which had some how escaped genocide engineered by so called tolerant muslim communities of Pakistan.
They reduced retirement age of all employees of the state to 55 years and thereafter gave extension to individuals of one community. The state government did not stop here only. . They reversed pay packages of some vocal Punjabi employees reduced their pensioner benefits without following any laid down rules regulations. I remember we were told that as we are Punjabis we may not stand better chances of employment for haryana state government jobs/various opportunities. The discriminatory attitude is also felt by a common Punjabi in almost every walk of life and I am sure the so called upper class communities are also not tolerated in other states as far as job or other opportunities are concerned. . Now again coming back to dictionary meaning of intolerance ie it means refusal to tolerate or respect persons of a different social group.
Are we therefore we part of a tolerant society ?
I leave this question to the readers of this article to answer and make your own opinion.
~mohanalok