People have a general conception about Biharis; either he can be a good and studious student or a bloody intimidating and bullying eve-teasing evil. There was a time I used to hide the truth that I am a Bihari; I was ashamed of it. People were generalizing Biharis as rapists and a source or root of all criminal activities.
People don’t know that Bihar has changed and developing at a growth rate of 11%, more than any state of India. Still I don’t think the changing Bihar is bringing any change in the people’s mindsets. People outside Bihar still use “Bihari” as a slang, especially in Delhi and Maharashtra. For them Bihari means inferior to others, an illiterate. They think that Biharis don’t know how to behave; they have no culture, no respect for others’ well being.
For an example; one of my friend likes a Bihari boy and informs her mother about it. Her mother was like, "A BIHARI!!?? He will not keep you happy; will beat you for dowry, throw you out of his house" etc. and many more. This is the image of a BIhari.
I think it is because of the image of Bihar is painted darker than it actually is.
Recently PM Modi at Madison Square said “Indians are everywhere in the world and making India proud”. I say the same about Biharis; that are everywhere in India, in every state. Irrespective of the fact that what a Bihari does, from a rickshaw puller to a technocrat, these people have equal contribution in the development of most of the states. These are amongst the people who helped in making roads, houses, metros, railways etc. so that we could develop.
Everyone knows that Biharis are placed almost every top-notch places from cricket, administration, and politics to civil services. They are engineers, manger, doctors, businessmen, and much more. But the sad thing is that despite having all these the image of a “Bihari” remains the same. Comments of Sheila Dikshit “that these people are law breakers” and of Raj Thackeray that “ek bihari sau bimari” are like anti Bihari sentiments going on in the country, these comments hurt the locals, as being people of the same country they are discriminated. These things need to be stopped immediately otherwise it can lead to bigger consequences. I say “Ek Bihari Sau Pe Bhari” as an answer to Raj Thackeray’s comment.
I have collected some facts about Bihar and Biharis from http://binscorner.com/pages/s/somefactsaboutbihar.html. Go through this:
1. Bihar has more number of Literate than Kerala and Tamil Nadu Combined.
2. Bihar has more number of Graduates than Andhra Pradesh and Kerala combined.
3. More Biharis are doctors than Punjab and Gujarat combined.
4. Bihar has produced more number of IAS officers than Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Gujarat combined.
5. More Biharis are bank probationary office than any other state.
6. More Biharis are in IIT compare to Maharashtra and Gujarat.
7. Murder rate in Bihar is half of murder rate in Mumbai.
8. Rape is Bihar is 1/10th of Delhi.
9. Number of people killed in Bihar in communal violence is 1/75th of Gujarat.
10. Naxalites in Bihar have killed less people than in Andhra Pradesh.
11. Bihar produces more wheat than Punjab.
12. Bihar is only large state where no farmer committed suicide.
13. More Bihari Girls complete Graduation than Kerala.
14. First republic in the world was in Bihar "Vaishali"
15. ‘Non-Violence’, the most enchanting thought in the history of mankind first emanated from this land of Bihar. The Buddha and Mahavira, the pioneering propagators of this idea, pronounced this solemn solution of human suffering about 2600 years ago and resonate even today to brace humanity. Bodh Gaya and Pawapuri have become symbolic places to engage to this uplifting mood.
16. Four out of the five greatest emperors in India belonged to this part, namely Samudragupta, Ashoka, Vikramaditya and Chandragupta Maurya.
17. Bihar in the ancient period was the epicenter of learning, culture and power. The city Pataliputra from this state was an integral part of Indian civilization. Bihar houses the Nalanda University, which is the world’s oldest university and had students from across the world.
18. Three major religions of the world namely Buddhism, Jainism and Sikkhism have its root in Bihar. Guru Govind Singh was born in Patna.
19. Magadha, Vaishali, Mithila/Videha, Anga, Sakyapradesh, Vijji, and Janaka were the major kingdoms during Vedic period symbolizing Bihar being the center of trade and culture in India.
20. One of the most fertile plain of the world.
Yes, I am a Bihari and I am proud of it!
