Assamese girl's Facebook post highlights apathy towards flood situation in the region
India as a nation has always been seen as a shining example of unity in diversity, with people from different ethnic groups with their own cultural and linguistic identities, co-existing together in various states of the country.
But time and again, we are reminded of the harsh reality of discrimination and apathy towards people from certain regions, among which the attitude towards people from the north eastern states of India is appalling.
If the racism that a Manipuri woman had to endure on Delhi’s IGI Airport were not enough, the media’s limited coverage of a devastating flood situation in Assam shows that society still has a long way to go.
As 11 lakh people across 21 districts in Assam have been affected with close to 34 dead in a week, a year old Facebook post by an Assamese girl has gone viral, showing how the rest of the country remains oblivious to the flood situation which wreaks havoc in the state, year after year.
The girl named Bandita Barman, can be seen holding a placard in her hand that reads “Mumbai: Rainfall, full media coverage. Assam: Floods every year, death of hundreds of people; nobody cares. And we live in a society where we have at least 30 24*7 news channels who can show your horoscopes but not the HORROR OF ASSAM.”
The post showing a stark contrast in coverage of heavy rains in metro cities and floods in Assam’s, already has more than 7000 shares.
As of now, 80% of Kaziranga national park remains submerged with 3,000 villages affected and more than 300 animals killed. 500 relief camps have been set up to help people.
Hopefully such reminders might force the people and the media to finally take notice of a feeling of alienation among people in parts of the nation that largely remain ignored.
See the original Facebook post here:
