New Delhi: A woman based out of Delhi took to social media to address the word “Bihari” being used as a slur. In the now-LinkedIn post, the woman explained more about the stereotype and asked society to give Biharis a chance to grow and be better.
Recollecting an incident, Sonal Roy stated that she once heard a man say, “Why are you calling me five times repeatedly? Are you a Bihari?” She went on to explain how the stereotype stopped Biharis from acknowledging their roots and culture. Roy claimed that many refrain from admitting to staying in the state. The woman also took the effort to explain why being a Bihari was shamed or looked down on.
Woman’s post against using ‘Bihari’ as a slur grabs attention
“During British rule, Biharis were sent as cheap labor. After independence, poverty and weak development worsened the situation. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s “jungle raj” gave Bihar a national image of corruption and backwardness. Large-scale migration caused resentment in other states, and Bollywood turned this image into jokes and stereotypes,” said the woman on the post.
Roy went on to explain, “Yes, Bihar has its share of crime, backwardness, poor governance, and low civic sense.” Further, she asked netizens to give the state a chance to evolve.
“But we are evolving. We are focusing on education. Visit our villages, and you’ll see children chasing knowledge despite of poor schools and infrastructure. We are learning, growing, and working on our civic sense every day,” said the woman on LinkedIn.
Roy’s posts triggered a conversation online. One wrote, “It’s just a mental blockage… One needs to play along , you don fight a bully you play along! Laugh on the joke. This mind set needs to be fixed from within.” Another commented, “Strong message. Stereotypes need to go, every region has its story, its struggle, and its strength. Let’s choose understanding over judgment.”