It is said that ignorance is bliss, but is it really? Is ignorance really bliss in a multicultural country like India, or can it be moulded to cause animosity between groups with opposing or different ideologies and beliefs? Thinking about it from the perspective of Nagpur is very interesting and maybe disturbing.
A War of Ideologises
Nagpur is the headquarters of the Rastriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS), whose ideology, Hindutva, has more to do with the religion of Hinduism than the culture of the land of Hindu.Hindus make up the majority population of the city. Nagpur is also a center of the most important pilgrim centre of Dalit’s in India, the Deekshabhoomi. On the eve of Vijaya Dashmi on 14th October 1956, Dr Bhimroa Ambedkar embraced Buddhism at this very place along with his 6,000,00 followers, hence reviving Buddhism in India. Nagpur also has a large community of Muslims integrated in the city, in areas such as Mominpura and Jafar Nagpur. Then there are other minorities such as the Sikhs and Parsis who make up the remaining population of Nagpur.
Can the people of a city with such history and diverse population both culturally and religious afford to be ignorant about the people they are living with? Can this ignorance be used to trigger societal tensions, while benefiting political agendas? Or does such ignorance prevent tensions amongst a multicultural society, as all are seen equal, due to the ignorance amongst people? Is ignorance really bliss?
Ignorance of Thought
In a perfect world, maybe it is. But it is a flawed world with highly malleable human opinions. Information is in plenty and fake information, even more. In such a situation, ignorance is really a danger to peace within the society. Phrases such as ‘Hindus are in Danger’ and ‘Love Jihad’ are frequently used to subdue and even ostrasize minority communities like the Muslims. In the same manner, playing a victim card by a person from a minority community is also very common. In such cases, as minorities are protected through various laws, the law itself is misused against the majority community.
However, all this is not possible without support of the public, and more often than not the public who support these events are ignorant about the consequences it may have on their fellow citizens and on themselves. More importantly, they are ignorant of the truth and motives behind such events. The eventual result of such ignorance is hatred and violence between communities who once called themselves peaceful neighbours.
Nagpur has been lucky in the fact that such events have not occurred to the extent of inciting something as adverse as violent riots. Fake news on television and social media can change it in a blink of an eye. Ignorance in such cases is like adding fuel to fire, and fire destroys.
Comments