are indians racist ?

This is the question that the Harbhajan incident brings to the front. Is India with all its variety, pomp and splendor disrespectful of other races, people, beliefs ?

Well I certainly don't think we are racist like it was in US or South Africa long time back. We are insensitive, discriminatory and we don't have a society based entirely on meritocracy, but it does not border on racist. But what is racism ?

According to dictionary.com -
rac·ism –noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

So do we as Indians fit this definition ?? We aren't racist on the lines of the definition but we certainly need to take a deep look at ourselves in the mirror.. the cherished lines of unity of diversity soon fall flat and sound hollow. We don't have to look too far to see all the discrimination based on caste,sex, religion. the old baggage of the past holds us down. Until we push ourselves up and make an effort to end our own biases we would still be held back from the true potential that we as a country can achieve. Till that time its just hot air and empty talk of India becoming something of a superpower on the world stage.

To believe is a thing, to achieve is another.

And WE YET HAVE TO ACHIEVE - We have to achieve the levels of prosperity that modern countries have, we need to achieve the standards of health care for our peoples that few of the western countries have, we need to achieve the levels of education, literacy and employment that ensure we are behind no one. And to achieve we need to learn to work together as one with our countrymen. We need a uniform identity as an Indian - no south indian, north indian, east indian, or even as a tamilian, telugu, hindi, bihari, marwaari, gujju and any other discriminator.

The key I feel is inculcating a sense of uniform identity in all of us, give us all a selfish reason to do it. We are all selfish in the end, we are not saints, we wont do something unless it is going to improve my current situation.. and we need to realize that working together we have more chances to move everyone ahead than poking holes in our neighbors dreams.. The identity crisis is not even a issue to consider countries like US, UK or Australia with just one language and one religion. But indian-ness is in the variety, the tolerance towards contradicting issues. We have lived with all this in India and it has shaped what we are .. we just need to make the experience a lot better for the next generation.

The world is looking at us to see where we can take ourselves. Its surprised a country with so many languages, so many religions, so many cultural differences can walk together and come so far. But we have to accelerate now. We have reached the point in the race where we have to push past the competition. I certainly believe our country if we take care of it, would once again shine.