Racism in India: Our dirty little secret

The term ‘racism’ in our country is often derided as a very trivial issue. Our understanding of the concept of racism is limited to the Whites or the Eastern- Europeans discriminating against the Blacks or the people of the Latin American community whereas in hindsight, the stigma of racism in our country is right up there with any other quandary that is troubling our nation. We are maybe, just too unsympathetic to see it.

Article 14 (Right to Equality) of our constitution states:

The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.

The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them. 

Now, on a scale of embarrassing to contemptible, how blatantly are we lying to ourselves?

I. When distinction leads to prejudice.

In a country where the blacks are dismissed as ‘hapshis’, where there’s a perpetual tendency to categorise the South Indians as ‘madrasis’, our localised version of the blacks. Where the North- Easterners are pigeonholed as ‘chinkis’ just because of their Mongoloid features and the ‘Bhaiyyas’ from U.P & Bihar are inferred as illiterate labourers. When the name calling evolves into antagonism, there are consequences.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/comment/karanthapar/the-sad-but-inescapable-truth-is-we-are-guilty-of-racism/article1-1182080.aspx

I.I We are hypocrites, just too ashamed to admit it.

Back in 2008, when some Indian students, most of them of Punjabi origin became victims of racist attacks in Australia, the amount of outrage caused was heartening. A country coming together to save it’s sons from being persecuted. But, would the protests have been equally profound had some North Easterns suffered the same attacks in Delhi or Bangalore?

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-great-indian-racist/article5681976.ece

But, aren’t we all a little racist?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfTUMc7yS54

I.II Our indifference causes our incompetence

The fight against Apartheid in South Africa went down as one of the landmarks in the country’s political struggle, the ‘Negroes’ affrayed and found themselves a place in U.S.A’s history. Our biggest Achilles heel is the ineptitude of our government to deal with the issue. Electoral gains for the win!

http://www.newindianexpress.com/opinion/pointofview/Other-Countries-Do-Something-About-Racism-Our-Indifference-Grievously-Harms-India/2014/02/09/article2045703.ece

I.III India is racist and happy about it

Doesn’t matter if it’s a mute- spectator witnessing racism for the first time, or a child learning it from his parents, the fact remains that the issue is more deep- rooted than any of us can even imagine. The country needs to educate itself.

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?250317

“If they mention my light skin, I will not view it as a compliment but as a threat towards my sisters #NotFairandLovely”: @rabiatarar

I.IV India and it’s obsession with complexion.

While ‘Krishna’ which literally means dark makes an essential component of the Indian mythology, one can hardly think of any other country that makes more money out of selling Fair & Lovely creams. Ever wondered why there isn’t a single matrimonial ad which doesn’t mention the skin tone of the concerned individual? Fair? Wheatish? Scandalous. Obviously, nothing better than Shah Rukh Khan or John Abraham peddling their faces with cosmetic creams.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/aug/14/indias-dark-obsession-fair-skin

How fair is fair enough? : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT7x1BIEhY0

II. It’s there and it’s for all to see:

An average Indian’s perception of ‘outsiders’ has been a consequence of a deep resentment which often translates into by-polar racism. What’s often misconstrued as naivity or narrow- mindedness finds it’s roots buried much underneath. Borderline hatred, anyone?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Racism-our-dirty-secret/articleshow/30121070.cms

II.I Boss, do you need a passport to enter the North East?

While the seven sisters happen to be at an arm’s length from the mainland geographically, the demeanour of the rest of the country towards them is nothing short of unacceptable. Maybe, the ‘Resident Aliens’ will be better off when the umbilical cord is cut. Until then, Assamese women will continue to be groped at metro stations, Mizo students will continue to be on the receiving end of beatings in their hostels.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/boss-do-you-need-a-passport-to-enter-the-northeast/article1-1179463.aspx?hts0021

A social experiment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrwKkMpl1Gg

II.II The African origin predicament

When judgements are made on the basis of the colour of the skin not on the content of the character. How every Black man who walks in the streets of Pune comes off as as a drug peddler, a woman of similar skin tone who goes for an evening stroll is implicated as a prostitute. While we continue to be obsessed with the West in terms of education and economic might, Africans have been restrained to gender stereotyping.

Our true colours:

http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?250314

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/25/opinion/roy-the-wrong-kind-of-foreigner.html?_r=0

This is a possibility, more like a reality.

II.III The Anti UP- Bihari sentiment

An amalgamation of poor governance and annual flooding by the Kosi river contributed to an economic collapse of the state of Bihar thereby, resulting in the migration of middle class professionals, business leaders & labourers to other parts of the country. What have followed though, are multiple accounts of denial of basic fundamental rights.

http://www.meraapnabihar.com/blog/view/944/story-of-anti-bihari-sentiment-in-india

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120901/jsp/bihar/story_15921760.jsp#.U3oM8NKSzfU