India must wake up to alien nation

It was with a deep sense of anguish that actor and director Aamir Bashir delved into the 1990s when he left his hometown in Kashmir to pursue higher studies in Delhi. He could never go back as the state changed phenomenally in the subsequent years. "I had a strong feeling of being an outsider every time I returned as I hadn't been there to share their experience," said Bashir, stating he was an alien in his hometown as well as in Mumbai, which identified him as a Kashmiri.His poignant remarks kickstarted a passionate discussion entitled 'Alien in my own Land', revolving around marginalized sections of Indian society.
"I am a direct beneficiary of India's liberalization, but cannot be delusional. I am part of 200 million of 1.2 billion," said author Sudeep Chakravarti. He traced the arc of marginalization throughout the country, be it conflict-ridden Kashmir, the red corridor affected by Naxalism, Gujarat with its history of communal riots or the seven sisters of the Northeast that often fall off the map.
Filmmaker-actor Na­ndita Das, whose film Firaaq was born in the aftermath of Gujarat riots, said there was a shocking amount of prejudice on scr­a­tching the surfa­ce. "We know so little about our country or the aliens in our country," she said, speaking of Iron Sharmila, a civil rights activist who has been on a hunger strike since 2000 to demand repeal of the Ar­med Forces (Special Powers) Act. "If she was in Mumbai or Delhi, we would have never let this happen," she said.
Author Justine Hardy, who has worked extensively in Kashmir, moderated the discussion. She said while we may put collective labels on alienation, the idea was individual: "It is total isolation."