Time to change- The shackles of the stereotype

This is about the "Time to change" contest by Stayfree India. You can see the Facebook page here

Well, if I could change anything around me, I'd change the way people judge each other on the basis of caste, religion and language. I do not like it when people form rigid, biased opinions about other people who they don't even know in person. 

In a country as diverse as ours, we need as much tolerance as that can be summoned up to live in harmony and happily. We already have a population of happy-go-lucky people who care a hoot about a person's cultural, linguistic and religious background and realise that what matters most is the human to human connection.

There are certain situations which leave a bitter taste in the memory when they happen to someone, they are like fuel to fire. As a country, why can't we be more tolerant of each other and let others live? With my cartoons, here I have tried to explain what ticks me off about the judgemental nature of the Indian populace-

1. Regionalism. I don't like how every south-Indian is a "madrasi" for some north- Indians. The great Indian North- South divide is due to the apathy shown by these fistfuls. Bullying them over "idli dosa" and generalizing everyone is not doing anyone any good.

Same is true for the generalizations regarding Biharis, Gujaratis and Bengalis etc. Generalizations serve no purpose than to create communication barriers.

2. Caste- based discrimination is much more deep-rooted and much more difficult to eliminate. There are people who place humanity above all but, still you'll find people who'll ask which caste you belong to you and then act accordingly. If you're from a lower caste, suddenly all your educational qualifications boil down to a null and you become one of the downtrodden, either worthy of pity or someone to be looked down upon.

We need more people like these

Sadly this is something so common that we consider it "normal"

3. The divide created by language is pretty deep at places. Try asking your way around Chennai- if you're not from Tamil Nadu. Hindi is something untouchable here. I'd like to change this too!

4. Another scum on India's face is the false sense of regional pride which causes generalizations to occur and divides people on small matters. True; one should be proud of one's heritage but not to the point that it disregards the present and basks in the glory of the past. 

I would like to change all these notions, break these stereotypes and see all of us, hand in hand working toward a better future. A future with endless possibilities. A future where our differences only make us stronger, a future where no one is afraid of change.

Yes, that's what I'd like to change! I hope I am not asking for too much.