ajazali
January 30, 2015, 10:24am
167
Re: End of the past?
Just look at the BJP and RSS goons to know what the next level of this ‘natives pure, foreigners evil’ racism would look like, if it is not challenged properly in its preliminary stage. The rise of RSS in a seemingly secular and multi-ethnic country like India shows just how important it is to keep ethnic and religious hatred in check.
Considering how racially diverse Punjab’s population is, this whole ‘sons of soil’ baloney is sickening to the core and ever so disrespecting to province’s rich culture and heritage. The province absorbed more racial strains than any other provinces in Pakistan (or even in whole of India one may argue). It is because of its history that Punjab stands proud of its diverse ethnic make up and inter-racial harmony. Despite the gross mismanagement, its population enjoys the highest rate of economic, social and geographical mobility than any other provinces in Pakistan who apparently seem to have ‘better’ History than Punjab. Whatever on earth that really means.
The general non-existence of sons of soils versus outsiders bigotry in big province like Punjab perfectly explains why we officially have never suffered from the toxic spread of ethnic politics within the province, and this just goes on to prove why Punjab has always been a home for anyone and everyone who settled there and called it a home. Children of Punjab need to learn and appreciate this about their province - this is one of facets of teaching tolerance and humanity. The reason religious tolerance got bad because we deliberately experimented with it, and created a Frankenstein monster that we are now struggling to annihilate. In light of all that, common sense and basic human decency would suggest that issue of race and ethnicity should be not tempered with at any price. Why do you want to follow the failed practices of other provinces and divide the province’s population into the ‘proud and pure’ sons of soil versus evil outsiders categories? This is nothing but making a mockery of Punjab’s vast history.
So much for this vague and inadequately explained notion of ‘struggle’, more ideas and movements have blossomed in the heart of this land than anywhere else in Pakistan. Even the recent of wave of ‘Azadi March’ movement most perfectly complimented Punjab’s long history of being independent, standing up and being ever so responsive to new ideas and change. That’s Punjab’s intellectual heritage! Our identities are not singular, but plural. We as people of Punjab have unique mix of overlapping identities, therefore it is essential that we understand and appreciate the subtle but every so significant multiplicity of our ethnic and cultural heritage. Starting from the start of the times to contemporary eras. No one ethnic identity or racial mix up is better than the other. We will learn our history that way it happened. We won’t allow handful of fascists and racists to put the entire nation of Punjab on trial, and make us feel ashamed and apologetic over the past we had no control over.
If this whole sons of soil rubbish sells in other provinces, that’s their misfortune. Why should Punjab fall for such mentality? It has been doing pretty well without being fed racial bigotry so far. Just omit the religious dogma out of texbooks, and start teaching diverse and wide range of meaningful and proper academic history, and Punjab will forever retain its whimsical glory and mighty stature.
well said. In southern Punjab along side the river Satluj, we can see sareki and punjabi culture and beautiful mixture of these two cultures. Also look at northern punjab and pothuhari culture. all these people are by no means near to sikh culture.
For religious dogma, one may argue that there are some exaggerations in history textbooks but it is also fact the muslims in India have history of making struggles for a separate identity. From the preaching of Ahmad sirhindi to shah Ismael movement and then war of 1857 and 1947. And obviously if a country is created, then it has the right to tell its children its history.