various rambling thoughts: India's coming civil wars?

Salvor Hardin, a character in the "Foundation Trilogy" by Isaac Asimov, once remarked that "its a poor sword indeed, that does not cut both ways"

Looking at the Gujjar agitation to get the benefits of "backward caste" tag attached to their CV, I am reminded of those words.

Its a case of the chickens coming home to roost. Just like the Pakistan establishment never thought that the Islamic militants they were creating would one day do a 180 degree turn and point the gun the 'wrong' way, similarly our myopic politicians never thought that the caste cards they played to win petty votes would one day turn on them.

I am not worried about the military precision with which the Gujjars can bring the capital to its knees by blocking roads. Any half witted ambitious politician with enough ignorant fools as followers can cut off the main arterial roads by poring over a map. And specially these days when human rights is mainly concerned over who gets shot, no matter if they are the aggressors and provocateurs themselves, resulting in an emasculated police response.

What I am concerned about is that we have a mini civil war on our hands. I don't know whether we know it as that yet, but the signs are all there. One caste fighting against the supposed benefits enjoyed by another caste. We might very well be having our version of the race riots (in our case - caste riots). We would soon have new militant leaders of various castes who would then arm themselves for their caste's 'cause'.

Other castes and their potential militant leaders would be watching this battle that is now raging with a lot of interest. If the government shows weakness, it would be a green signal for others to start similar agitations of their own. And we might soon have castes fighting against others, with everyone seeming to have a predilection to get armed very quickly as well.

Sounds like a portend for a civil war, nyet?

If its seems like an exaggeration, remember every idea that seems opposite to our comfort zone seems always exaggerated when stated at first...