EXAMINING THE CONCEPT OF THE ‘OTHER’-AN OCCIDENTAL PERSPECTIVE

India stands suffused with myriad cultural and philosophical manifestations that form the tapestry of this great pluralistic nation. The Constitution endeavors to preserve this aspect of the state which lends itself to this unique flavor. But unfortunately, individuals are often seen struggling in the cultural, communistic and religious domain which often tends to bracket itself into walled in spaces. Articulation of plurality with the single political order is superficial, often leading to chaos. Exclusion politics has turned out to be a necessity for a cohesive democratic society in the postcolonial setup. Social exploitation is an inherent aspect of the society which is still seized in the throes of metamorphosis into a progressive entity. Imperialism has crushed the psyche of the people to such an extent that even after seventy-odd years of independent rule, we have not yet been able to shake off the shackles of colonial rule-we still suffer the hangover of servitude and psychological inferiority that is now translated into nepotism and an exaggerated and distorted sense of importance. Aravind Adiga's “The White Tiger” has exposed the decaying state of society where people are caught up in the web of birth and circumstances and their emancipation purely relying not on their potential but in their contexts of birth. It represents the sad reality of India submerged in economic inequality, and an arduous political, social set up for the less powerful and underprivileged sections of society. This paper is an attempt to analyze the concept of freedom and individuality in the post-colonial milieu of the Indian Society and unravel the white lies of constitutional rights and autonomy through the perpetuation of the other –so as to justify and sanctify explicit exploitation of humanity.