As it is…

This is something that I just had to write. This week’s Outlook is dedicated to the problem of racism in India. I was familiar with the problem because I was the problem. The racism problem isn’t the most talked about in India. We Indians simply refuse to accept that we have a problem. Indians don’t think they’re racist because we believe racism is all about white people treating the non whites shabbily. Other than that, we feel it’s somehow alright if we do it in private. Let’s face it, everyone of us has used words like ‘Hapshi’,'Negro’,'Chinkan’, ‘Gora ‘. It’s unfortunate but it’s absolutely true.

Heck, we didn’t even spare our own countrymen from the north east states or shall I say ‘The Ignored States of India ‘. It’s utterly horrendous the way we treat them. We’ve made them homeless in their own country. They’re looked down upon in their own country and by their own countrymen. The manner in which the girls are viewed and treated is especially disgusting. I wonder how many of us can actually name the seven states making up our north east ? But once the Chinese claim some part of this territory, we’re up in arms.

There are of course our many regional stereotypes – Madrasis, Baiyas, Punjabis etc etc. I am reminded of an incidence at our college fest – Harbhajan Mann (a famous Punjabi singer ) condemned the portrayal of Sikhs in the stereotypical buffoon manner. Well, it tales two hands to clap. I would have hailed him as a hero if he had spoken out against the portrayals of other communities in similar negative light in Punjabi entertainment industry. But, I suppose Mr Mann doesn’t see that as offensive.

I would have blamed the post colonial mindset for our attitudes towards Whites and Africans but the treatment of our own countrymen just shows that we are plain racist. We are not just racists but we are imperialists as well. I am not declaring myself a saint, I am as big a sinner as you are. It took personal stories of some of the victims to make me realise their anguish and my own sickness.

1. What is Indian ? Winston Churchill once said of India – ‘ India is a geographical term. It is no more a united nation...