New generation insensitive, says Mander

MANGALURU: Social worker and writer Harsh Mander, who is also the director of Centre for Equity Studies, New Delhi, expressed concern over the present generation, whose aspirational values were bordering on stark materialism.
"It is worrying. We have to question how we have raised our children. Our dreams were to make the world a better place. The present generation's dreams are about themselves and they are confined to a dream about themselves.They are insensitive to the lesser privileged," he said.
Pointing out that the idea of fraternity has fallen off the grid, he said this problem was not unique to India. He said the two major challenges to any nation are inequality and diversity. While India had done reasonably well in terms of addressing diversity, inequality has been its Achilles heel , since religions had inequality embedded in them by way of caste system.
He said the religiously sanctioned inequality of caste inherent to the Hindu faith, rendered egalitarian faiths like Islam and Christianity to the lowest rungs of Hindu social hierarchy. But, those who did go in search of equality in egalitarian faiths have failed to do so as they too have been pulled into this vortex. "That's why 'ghar wapsi' is complicated. When they come back, where will they fit?" he said.
The former IAS officer said the Ghar Wapsi and the notion of 'being Indian' was built on narrow and intolerant interpretations of Indian culture, but unfortunately what was appalling is that the party, which could never defend core principles of the Constitution, was voted into power with a thumping majority.
Mander said nine months down the line his view about the party had not changed, which was, on the one hand, promoting business and not welfare of people, and, on the other hand, it is being blind to the statements of hatred mongering.