The Other Side of It

By Dominica J.S. Marbaniang

The Other Side of It 

How often have you ever thought about the reality of our society? 

Look around you. Our individuality has set us apart. We see others from our own different perspectives and rarely do we humble 

ourselves with the remaining many. The diversity of our culture, religion, language, caste, race, gender and 

identity seem to have played a role in drawing boundaries of 

misunderstandings and hatred between us. 

Unity in diversity they say? Proud to be part of a diverse community they say? Take a moment and reflect on it. 

Look around. Are we united? Are we? Really? Do we really treat others the way that they should be or are we too proud to consider them as our own? 

Do factors of religion, language, caste, gender, identity and colour really 

make us different from one 

another? Do they necessarily infringe the richness of what 

should be binding us 

together? Or are we to blame ourselves for our egoistic nature? 

Communal tension between 

Hindus and Muslims is a 

persisting issue, conflict 

between the indigenous 

tribals and non-tribals of the 

north-eastern states of India 

is recurrent, rural areas of the country witness caste-based discrimination even today, minorities are discriminated, women's rights are violated, girls are extorted, children are robbed off their childhood, 

refugees and migrants are differentiated. 

Quite often do we hear abusive, brutal and cruel stories of people who suffer for belonging to a different 

group or a different identity, not privileged enough to be respected for and treated in dignity. 

"Discrimination strikes at the very heart of being human. It is harming someone's right simply because of who they are or what they believe" 

What of all the universal human values of respect and dignity, non-violence, truth, honesty, love, peace and 

equality that lie within the soul of every being and 

defines his beauty, power and 

purity? 

Introspect. Aren't we all but the same? Aren't you as human as the other or rather, Isn't he as human as you?

By Dominica J.S. Marbaniang