Loyalties

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A person is living in the USA for 30 yrs but spent the first 22 years of his life in Pune. Where do you think his loyalties should be? And where do you think his loyalties would be? I first asked this question to myself when I heard Raj Thakarey accusing the Bachchan's about their loyalties to Maharashtra and how they are socially more concerned about UP (their home state) than Maharashtra. A huge argument followed amongst various groups in the state and I believe in every immigrant's minds. I am an immigrant to the USA but originally from Pune, Mahrashtra. I have a relative who has lived here for 30 years now and his heart is still in his home town. Whatever little he does for the society, world that we live in is mostly diverted to his home town. This is what I call mother's bond. Wherever you go and settle down most people always have that feeling in their minds...oh what did I do for the place that made me what I am today, that made be capable of the respect I get in a foreign land? And there is a constant feeling of repaying that debt. So you help the unpriviliged or might fund for a social cause or whatever helps take off that load from your hearts. This does not mean that one would not contribute to the society he currently lives in. I for one, sure have a lot of respect for american people for accepting me in their country, giving me an opportunity and respecting my freedom in every way. There is a debt here too and I will go out of my way to help a cause/concern in this society. But can anything come closer to what I feel for Pune? No it doesn't....for me its like my Mom gave me birth and my motherland gave me identity. Both are equally important. My family, my sorroundings, my school, my college, the food, uptil the air I breathed was associated with Pune. How can I not love it with all my heart and how then can one tell me to be more loyal (socially committed) to the place I work for a living? No, its not possible. And so I do not agree with Mr. Thakrey when he says that a person living in Mumbai for 40 years should be more loyal and committed just towards Mumbai....its unfair to have that expectation. Coz nothing can break the bond a person has with his roots. And we should just let things be that way.
Our childhoods leave an indelible mark on our minds and nothing that we might do in our adult lives can erase those marks.

Comments

Its just A KG said…
I agree with you. To question your loyalty to your country/place of birth is quite extreme. As long as Mr Bachan is doing his bit to help Bombay/Maharashtra, the Thakerays are out of line as they often seem to be.
September 29, 2008 at 10:53 AM
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