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Why do people love to hate?

Published

8 years ago

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Bengal Riots

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ranjona Banerji

And once again, India is heading towards what journalists of old used to call a “communal tinderbox”. Sectarian hatred, which sadly simmers below the surface across pockets of India, has once again started to find violent expression. This expression is usually related to political patronage – some Hindus feel that majoritarian rule is the answer for India whenever the BJP is in power. And in Bengal, there are claims that Mamata Banerjee’s Muslim appeasement policy has given strength to Islamist feelings in some areas of Bengal. Kerala is also going through some churn between the CPM and the BJP and once again the accusation is that various Islamic groups have free rein there: Hatred growing on hatred to destroy us all.

It is convenient for us to get stuck in the politics of it. That as if, had politicians not existed or did not pit one cause against the other, we would have loved each other desperately. The politics of it allows us to escape from the reality: That there is hatred, there is fear, there is a sense of historical injustice and there is insecurity. Almost all of it is illogical and unreasonable, almost all of it stems from ignorance and bigotry and all of it makes a mockery of our humanity.

History will show us that there is no one answer, there is no easy answer. Anthropologists will point to ancient atavistic impulses. Archaeologists will find old bones with evidence of extreme violence. Sociologists and psychologists will examine chinks in our relationships with others and with ourselves. They will all be correct. There is hatred in us and it will continue.

Do upbringing and experience play a role? Yet there are people who have suffered after the Partition riots and have tried to build bridges and there are those who have suffered and become filled with thoughts of revenge. The way some soldiers who have seen fighting and death become pacifists and others become even more dogged about military solutions to a conflict over all other ones. Does education make a difference? Clearly it does not, when you consider the number of educated terrorists of all political hues. Does being religious make a difference? This is the most tragic of all human beliefs when you consider that most extremist behaviour is justified in the name of religion.

We can accept that this is how we are and move on. Let law and order take each individual case and let the human constructs of evidence and justice deal with the consequences of human iniquity. Small individual steps to offset our human flaws. But this does not work on any grand scale.

The only thing that will make a difference is if law is matched with societal determination. Look at how Germany has tackled its anti-Semitic past. It was not the only nation in Europe which has persecuted Jews. The word “pogrom”, used loosely today for rioting and ethnic cleansing, is a Russian word meaning to “wreak havoc, demolish violently”, was specifically used for attacks on Jews. Across Europe, Jews faced everything from social discrimination to outright violence. Every kind of justification and lie to persecute any minority group today was used then.

But what happened in Nazi Germany with the cruel genocide of 6 million Jews in concentration camps was so bad, so horrific, that it became too much for the collective conscience of the Germans and of much of the world. Germany more than any other nation follows a very strict policy when it comes to anti-Semitism because it is always aware of its past. No solution is perfect but this is the one solution which has stood out as a beacon of hope and so it must.

Racism has not found such an easy solution nor has gender equity. Here in India, apart from the anger with minority religions that some of the majority Hindus have, we have still not managed as a society to acknowledge the terrible damage done to our fellow humans by the strictures of caste. We still look for justifications for dehumanisation, against and above the law of the land.

There is no easy answer and as long as we don’t honestly search for some as a society, we shall continue to be victim to politicians, religious clerics and other vested interests, to those whose power flows from creating and fostering hatred amongst us. We have reached that crossroads yet again. The last time someone tried to appeal to our collective conscience, we killed him. There is no Mahatma Gandhi today. There is only us. And we don’t look pretty.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India News

Lok Sabha clears bill to levy cess on pan masala and similar goods for health, security funding

The Lok Sabha has passed a bill to impose a cess on pan masala manufacturing units, aiming to create a dedicated revenue source for public health and national security initiatives.

Published

2 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Nirmala Sitharaman

The Lok Sabha has approved the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, paving the way for a new cess on pan masala manufacturing units. The legislation aims to generate dedicated funds for strengthening national security and improving public health, both areas identified as critical national priorities.

Bill aims to create predictable funding stream

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, responding to the debate before the bill was passed by voice vote, said that the cess will be shared with states because public health falls under the state list.

The new cess will be applied over and above the GST, based on production capacity and machinery used in units manufacturing pan masala and similar goods. The minister clarified that this cess will not affect GST revenue, and that pan masala already attracts the maximum GST slab of 40 per cent.

According to the bill text, the objective is to build a “dedicated and predictable resource stream” to support expenditure related to health and national security.

Sitharaman also mentioned that cess collection as a percentage of gross total revenue currently stands at 6.1 per cent, lower than the 7 per cent average between 2010 and 2014.

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India News

Simone Tata passes away at 95: A look at the visionary who shaped Lakme and modern retail

Simone Tata, the pioneering business leader who built Lakme and helped shape India’s modern retail sector, passed away at 95. Here’s a look at her legacy.

Published

2 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

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simone tata

Ratan Tata’s stepmother and celebrated business leader Simone Tata passed away on December 5, 2025, at the age of 95. Known for her pioneering role in building Lakme and transforming India’s retail landscape, she leaves behind a remarkable legacy that redefined Indian consumer culture.

A legacy that shaped Indian business

Simone Tata, born in Geneva in 1930, first came to India at the age of 23. Two years later, in 1955, she married Naval H. Tata and gradually became an integral part of the Tata family’s business vision. Her journey with the Tata Group began in the 1960s, when she was appointed to Lakme—then under Tata Oil Mills.

Under her leadership, Lakme quickly grew into one of India’s most trusted cosmetic brands. She rose to the position of managing director and later chairperson, introducing global formulations and modernising beauty products for the Indian market. Lakme’s rise was also rooted in a strong national vision—launched on former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s suggestion to reduce foreign exchange spent on imported makeup.

Transforming retail through Trent and Westside

After Lakme was sold to Hindustan Lever Limited in 1966, Simone moved to Trent, where she helped build one of India’s earliest modern retail chains. This later gave birth to Westside, a brand that has become synonymous with contemporary Indian shopping culture.

She also played a key role in philanthropic initiatives, guiding organisations such as the Sir Ratan Tata Institute and supporting cultural and children-focused foundations.

Family, personal life and final farewell

Simone Tata is survived by her son Noel, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya and Leah. She also drew public attention in recent years for being the only member of the Tata family to attend Cyrus Mistry’s funeral, despite the widely known strained ties between the families.

Her funeral will take place on Saturday morning at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, Mumbai.

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India News

Centre orders probe into IndiGo crisis, expects normal flight operations in three days

Amid record cancellations by IndiGo, the Centre has ordered a high-level inquiry and expects flight schedules to stabilise by Saturday, with full normalcy in three days.

Published

3 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

indigo

The Centre has initiated a high-level inquiry into the massive disruption of IndiGo’s operations, with the government projecting that flight schedules will begin stabilising by Saturday and full normalisation is expected within three days. The announcement comes as cancellations by the airline crossed 500 for the second consecutive day, severely impacting passengers across major airports.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the government has directed urgent measures to ensure swift restoration of services. Within minutes of his statement, the aviation regulator DGCA announced the formation of a four-member committee to examine the circumstances leading to the delays and cancellations.

DGCA forms committee as cancellations spark scrutiny

The DGCA said IndiGo was given sufficient time to implement revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), yet the airline recorded the highest number of cancellations in November. The regulator added that the pattern suggested gaps in the carrier’s internal oversight and preparedness, warranting an independent probe.

The committee will review the sequence of events that triggered disruptions and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.

Flight duty rules relaxed; minister defends move

Amid criticism from the Opposition and experts, the DGCA temporarily suspended certain FDTL rules, increasing pilot duty limits from 12 to 14 hours. The changes were widely questioned, with allegations that the government was yielding to pressure from IndiGo.

Naidu defended the decision, stating the move was taken solely to safeguard passengers and that safety standards would not be compromised.
He reiterated that passenger care and convenience remain the top priority.

Assurance of refunds, real-time updates, and support

Highlighting steps taken to ease passenger distress, the minister said airlines must:

  • Provide accurate, real-time updates before travellers leave for airports
  • Initiate automatic refunds for cancelled flights without requiring follow-ups
  • Arrange hotel accommodation for passengers stranded for extended periods

Senior citizens and persons with disabilities have been accorded special priority, including access to lounges and additional assistance. Refreshments and essential services are to be provided to all affected travellers.

Inquiry to determine accountability

The government said the high-level probe will identify what went wrong at IndiGo, establish responsibility, and recommend systemic corrections to ensure such disruptions do not occur again.

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