“Most Of The People In North-East India Are Muslims”

It was around 9 am today, i.e. 6th November 2010. I had boarded Delhi Metro from the AIIMS metro station (up to which I had come by bus from my Noida home). I was about to get down at the Sikanderpur station in Gurgaon, from where my office at Phase-V in the Udyog Vihar locality is easily accessible by auto.

Being the next day of Deewali, the train was much less crowded in comparison to the other days, and I soon got a seat. Just beside me were sitting two men in their early 40s. They were constantly chatting, touching various topics. It was basically one person who was making “expert” remarks on various issues, while the other person was nodding approvingly with a smile on his lips.

After having discussions on various topics, such as the Indian media, economy, etc., they ultimately picked up a discussion on the various Indian communities and their characteristics.

I had got engrossed in the compilation of O’Henry short stories that I was carrying (I usually carry a book or magazine while traveling in metro rail), when a certain remark made by the “expert” guy drew my attention.

“Most of the people in North-East India are Muslims, especially in Assam”.

I was really “impressed” with the man’s “knowledge” about the various Indian communities, and I was sure that I would get to hear more of such “gems” from him. So I got more attentive to their discussion, while keeping my eyes on my book. And then, after some more discussions on the various ethnic communities of India, came this one –

“Bengalis and Biharis are the topmost scoundrels (he used a Hindi word which I cannot use) of all the Indian communities. You will find them everywhere”.

I was all ears, when suddenly the “expert” got a call from somebody at his cell. And before he was through with his long conversation, the Sikanderpur station arrived, forcing me to get down. What an abrupt end for an interesting experience.