I have been thinking more about the racism that many of us Indians demonstrate to those who look different than us such as Africans, Chinese, etc. The most vivid display of bigotry is from those who consider themselves "mainstream" Indians towards those who are considered "outsider" Indians. I am talking of the often shocking treatment that people from the North-east of India - from the Seven Sisters states (Mizoram, Arunachal, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur and Assam) - have to endure at the hands of Indians elsewhere.
This problem always existed but thanks to the internet, these badly-treated Indians have been making their voices heard loud and clear. The news, people, is not pretty or palatable. Read for example, the blog post by Kima who writes from Mumbai, and think about how much prejudice these people face from landlords, taxi drivers, and even the police. Men from the northeast are viewed as drug addicts and drunkards, women from these states are viewed as morally loose just because they dress in western clothes and like to party into the night and don't fit the stereotypical "good girl" mould of Indian society. I feel ashamed that fellow Indians have to endure such humiliation.
[Update: Kima blogs out of Mumbai, not Bangalore as I had mistakenly assumed. But his posts about racism towards Northeastern Indians are still wrenching to read, especially because he writes about it in a matter-of-fact way with no self-pity. Read for example, his post specifically about the treatment of Indians from the Northeast.]
In his June 21 op-ed piece for The Telegraph from Kolkatta, the historian Ramachandra Guha - a Bangalore resident - provides a historical context for the stepmotherly treatment that Indian politicians and the Indian people have dealt to their fellow nationals. And yes, I insist, we have to remember that these are our own people who are being shabbily treated. Not that one should treat foreigners with less consideration, but it's saying something when even fellow nationals are so badly mauled by the prevailing culture. Small wonder that there are so many seccessionist problems in the northeast region of India. Who would want to put up with such shabby treatment?
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3 comments:
Thanks for bring India's racist tendency into light, as a westerener living in India I have the priviledge to see things from the inside with an outsider's perspective and that blog article you linked to doesn't even suprise me, that's how all minorities are dealt with, with the exeption of westerner who are offered flats for rent at 3 times the regular price with the assumption that just because you are white it means you have money )which is also a form of racism).
What is more startling is that India has the ostrich policy on this problem, they'd rather ban minorities from certain areas, in order to avoid trouble simply because a large percentage of the population see it as a fundamental right to abuse others and that educating the masses about mutual respect is way more difficult than saying "no women's alllowed in the street on New Year's eve" or "No 'chinkies'allowed in this pub".
When someone tries to take advantage of me simply because I'm from a minority I yell back. It's self defense, but those biggots will then add even more stereotypes to the mix.
A while ago I had a blog entry about how when people asked me "Where are you from" I said bangalore, and they would say "That's not true you aren't from there", the fact is that I'm a Person of Indian origin by marriage, even have the official card, and in 5 years from now I can apply for citizenship, but will India be ready to accept that a blue eyed girl is holding an Indian passport? Not so sure :-(
The whole racism angle is totally unacceptable. I wish Kima and others from the Northeast as well as permanent residents like you would start an antiracism initiative like the folks at www.blanknoise.org have done to highlight sexual harassment.
I am also so glad that you don't take things lying down and that you hit back. It's good that people know that you won't be a passive victim.
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