It is agriculturally rich. It is India’s most industrialised State. It is among the three most prosperous States. It is the haven of the co-operative movement. Most of its people are vegetarian, well-off. They are the most globalised people in India. Yet, why has Gujarat become such a seething State, a cauldron of high-tension communalism and insensitivity, that now stands for everything its most famous citizen would have abhorred? Why do Gujaratis seem so angry, so bitter, so furious, so frenzied, so hysterical, so intolerant?
None of the Gujjus I know are “so angry, so bitter, so furious, so frenzied, so hysterical, so intolerant.” Whatever gives you that idea?
(Btw, the DNA link in your post doesn’t work.)
Gujjus tend to be vegetarian, hospitable and enterprising. In many ways, they are the Kannadigas of western India.
The communal tension in Gujurat can be traced to the 60’s and probably further back – the 60s for example had the worst ever riots in gujurat – under a congress govt then – it was worse than 2002 btw.
So there has to be a long hard look at why law and order is hit for a six – not just a superficial modi baiting.
I think Nikhil is bang on target when he says Gujaratis could be considered the Kannadigas of western India with the difference being that they are much more enterprising and more globally minded as far as opportunities are concerned.
I lived in Gujarat as very little boy and from what I heard from others from that time, the communal riots of the late sixties was the time when the age of innocence started coming to an end. The history of more recent riots & related strife as Sukhi rightly suggested, can be traced to those times. Perhaps the author of the article in the DNA link was not in Gujarat during those riots of the late sixties as he only talks about later strife in the article.
As for not tolerating dissent, the opinion of some is that in this case (the Fanaa controversy) they (Gujjus) see it as standing up for their state, which needs the Sardar Sarovar project, never mind that Aamir Khan never said he was against it. I think his stand that he is for it but he would like the displaced people also taken care of has not been clearly communicated either by him or by the media at large who seem to have rushed to judgement. Added to that is that the NBA is seen as a red flag to the people of the state as they have tried to stall, oppose judgements and mixed issues while trying to make their point.
It is due to the fact that it is the only state in India where prohibition is imposed. This had led to the proliferation of illegal brewing and distribution. This business could be under the monopoly of a particular community. Besides practicing double standards and suppressed living also could throw open its own problems. A comprehensive study may well be warranted.
“Most of its people are vegetarian, well-off.” (scratching my head) lol.
What does that mean? Vegetarians are/or can’t, be well off?
Patel’s and saurastrian’s form one of the biggest chunk of gujarats population,and they do eat meat.
The one’s who are “well off” and can afford meat,make it a part of their diet,atleast once in a week.
And no where did Gautam Adhikari said that ‘most of them are vegetarians’.
Where did you come to such a conclusion/..or is it to satisfy your taste buds?
I hope everything i commented is taken in right spirits. :)
juno,
Patels in Gujarat don’t eat meat. Some really strict ones also don’t eat garlic, onions. Saurastra has the same patterns in diet as the rest of gujarat.
I am a meat eating guju. Don’t see what vegetarianism has to do with anything though.
Most of the gujus I meet do tend to come off as intolerant idiots if you ask them about muslims or communists or something along those lines.
I think they are right about the damn though, which has been delayed and post-poned ever since Nehru first proposed it in the 40s.