The debate over 'intolerance' is taking new twists and turns every day. Either a celebrity speaks out against 'intolerance' or criticises those who say that India is becoming 'intolerant'. The Delhi based and Delhi centric 'national' media is even accused of fanning the 'intolerance' fire.
As a senior journalist who works from Mumbai says the 'intolerance' debate is a creation of elite Lutyen's Delhi clique which feels alienated after Narendra Modi came to power 18 months ago. The loss of entitlement is forcing them to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi by using 'intolerance' debate as their lethal weapon. There are also opposing views to this. They believe that the 'intolerance' is actually rising across India.
A closer look at the media outside Delhi (they are called regional just because they are not from Delhi) tells a different story. The regional language newspapers and TV news channels are not focussing much on the 'intolerance' debate. They are talking about several other important issues the country is facing. Even the English media from these places are not excited about the 'intolerance' debate.
Some of the celebrities, intellectuals, artists and writers who are crying that India is full of 'intolerance' are now intolerant of those who oppose them. It is now looking like a theatre of the absurd.
We have listed out 10 important things we should be intolerant of irrespective of our political ideology and religion.
1. Corruption: Anna Hazare has disappeared without a trace. His protégé and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has hugged Lalu Prasad who is convicted in a corruption case. Neither Hazare nor Kejriwal are now talking about corruption. Not a day goes without the news of corruption. Actually, we should intolerant of corruption which affects all irrespective of caste and religion.
2. Crime Against Women and Children: There is no reprieve in the sight. Society's intolerance is growing against women and children. New stringent laws are of little use. What we need is a change in our attitude towards women and children.
3. Lack of civic manners: When it comes to civic manners and public etiquette, India can still be compared with Sub-Saharan countries. We are at the bottom of the list. Be it road rage or complete apathy towards the poor and marginalised, Indians rarely show any compassion.
4. Garbage and lack of cleanliness: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Clean India' or 'Swacch Bharat' remains on papers. The country is still one of the dirtiest in the world. The newly introduced 00.50% Swarch Bharat cess is cleaning our pockets, not the streets.
5. Growing numbers of beggars and destitute: Despite the tall claims by the successive governments that the country is committed to eradicate begging, their number is growing every year. The schemes meant for them have failed miserably.
6. Rising Poverty: Half of Indians are still living under the Below Poverty Line (BPL). They have no access to basic things like decent food, housing, education, clean water, health, security etc. The 'Gareebi Hatao' or 'Eradication of Poverty' has been able to eradicate the poverty of our ruling class, not the poor people.
7. Digital Divide: India is one of the top 10 IT nations in the World. Yet the digital divide is widening between the "haves" and "have nots".
8. Call Drops: The latest is Call Drops! India is world's fastest growing and one of the largest markets for the mobile phones. There is a cut throat competition among the service providers. But, in recent months, the percentage of call drops is rising alarmingly. Surely, the entire nation irrespective of its political ideology and religion is intolerant of call drops.
9. Pollution: Urban India is one of the most polluted in the world. The national capital Delhi is considered the most polluted city in the World. Nothing concrete is happening to bring down the level of pollution. Many rivers have turned into stinking sewage dumps and their water is unfit for consumption. The nation is getting impatient.
10. Regressive Social Customs: India is still full of regressive social customs. Some are most brutal. They have the sanction of the society, if not of the laws. We should be intolerant of such things. Female foeticide is widely practised in many states like Punjab, haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and western parts of Uttar Pradesh.
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