This refers to Sanjaya Baru’s thought-provoking article “Language, region and caste in politics” (November 29). India has a multitude of castes, languages and regional variety. What should have otherwise been a delightful kaleidoscope of variegated diversity has become a stumbling block in the nation’s progress. If a handful of East India Company officers could subjugate a country of millions by using the divide-and-rule policy, then we have perfected this legacy to ruin the nation systematically. It is sad to see such an intrinsically rich nation being divided into a million mutually-exclusive silos based on caste, gotra, region and so on by its political parties for parochial gains. In Karnataka, the Lingayat-Vokkaliga tussle is leading to animosity between the two groups, while they should be celebrating a unified Kannadiga culture. In Andhra, there is a political battle between Reddys, Raos, Kamas and Kapus, while they should be rejoicing in their inclusive Telugu pride.
The myopic politics in the country has divided the otherwise beautiful tapestry of India for the selfish end of grabbing power by any means. This has turned different regions and castes in states against each other, thereby superseding linguistic affiliations. Ideally, development and progress should be the poll planks, as refreshingly seen in Bihar of late and Gujarat over the last year. If we get a few more chief ministers like Nitish Kumar, Narendra Modi and Prem Kumar Dhumal (Himachal was recently voted the best governed state by India Today), India could rise above casteism and prosper.
Dushyant Singh Panwar, New Delhi