The rhetoric over Gujarati pride has now acquired a noisy level. It seems as if no one is concerned about their pride as the Gujaratis are. Is a remark by Aamir Khan enough to hurt an entire group of people and a state?
I am sure Tamils, Malayalis, Punjabis and if you go deeper then Bundelkhandis, Vidarbhites, Bhojpuris all have pride. In fact, all human beings have some self-respect.
But the most fragile is the Gujarati pride, it seems.
Even if it is all politicised, I see that this pride is acting as a great vitamin for the race that probably thought that they were just viewed as money-making Banias. But now after riots they turned a masculine race and with every round of Gujarat Pride slogans, the state is getting a sort of high.
I am sure many would agree with me. How serious one needs to take Aamir Khan need no mentioned. The state that has produced Gandhi and Patel amongst innumerable giant personalities can't be so less on confidence that any Tom, Dick and Harry could affect them.
What he said? What one gathers from most of the quarters is that he had asked for rehabilitation to be carried out in a just manner so that poor don't suffer. If we believe that he went to the extent of saying something about not height of dam, which is the lifeline of Gujarat...
...[it is the failure of state goverment in constructing the canals that has led to water scarcity otherwise the current height is enough for irrigation in vast areas], even then the entire state need not have reacted in such a manner.
Is it Aamir Khan's film alone?. Hundreds of people are involved in a film and success of film is linked to their bread and butter. He is just one actor. But not only multiplex owners but video-library owners are demonstrating, kicking CDs of his films and declaring that they wouldn't carry his films' CDs. Ok don't carry. I am not concerned.
But stop these tantrums. No one is impressed. Gujaratis are capable of much better things, I know. And if you just need any one to make a statement to give you an enemy to beat so that you can show your solidarity and get a high, no one can help you. Gang up, go to Mumbai, lay siege to Aamir's house and do whatever you have to do to him but spare us of your cacophony. TV channels may keep airing your misplaced jingoism. I better go to sleep.