Attack on Africans: Racism or media hype?
The spate of rising attacks on African nationals has caused an outrage among the community, several thousands of who study in India.
In Short
- On May 20, a Congolese national was beaten to death in a brawl.
- In retaliation, shops belonging to Indian's were attacked in Congo.
- India government assures speedy trial in the case.
On May 20, a Congolese national, Masonda Ketada Oliver, was beaten to death in a brawl in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj area. A week later, at least seven African nationals were allegedly attacked in three separate incidents in Rajpur Khurd village, in south Delhi's Chhatarpur area.
Shops belonging to Indian's were attacked in Congo in retaliation to Oliver's murder. Amid the tension, the Indian embassy in Kinshasa has urged all Indian nationals to "keep a low profile."
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The spate of rising attacks on African nationals has caused an outrage among the community, several thousands of who study in India. The African envoys had last week threatened to boycott the Africa Day event over Oliver's murder.
Meanwhile, India, today assured Oliver's family of a speedy trial in the case and prosecution of all those responsible for the crime as per law. This was conveyed by a senior official of External Affairs Ministry (MEA) who met Oliver's family in the national capital.
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The recent spate of attacks on Africans in India certainly raise a critical but deeply disturbing question- Are we racist? There are many who would agree.
10 BIG QUESTIONS
1. World's largest democracy colour conscious?
2. Is India racist towards Africans?
3. Africans attacked: Racism or minor scuffles?
4. Police covering up incidents by calling them minor scuffles?
5. African community not safe in India?
6. What makes us so prejudiced?
7. Africans being targeted, the ugly face of India?
8. How severe is the racism in India?
9. Is police at time complicit in racial attacks?
10. Indians inviting same action in other nations?
'INDIANS ARE INSECURE'
Speaking to Karan Thapar on the show To The Point, India's best known sociologist Dipankar Gupta pointed out that Indians are racist in a peculiar way.
"Racism is something which is deeply ingrained in us. We tend to identify with the Europeans, and we are against black people or even those who come from East Asia," Gupta said.
India's former High Commissioner to Botswana and South Africa Satyabrata Pal pointed out that Indians suffer from a kind of insecurity.
'ISOLATED INCIDENTS, NOT RACIAL IN NATURE'
BJP's National Executive member Seshadri Chari described the recent incidents in Delhi and elsewhere as unfortunate but refused to label them as racist.
"These incidents should not have taken place. I would appeal to our African friends... I still go by the police version. These are very isolate incidents. They are not racial at all. Racialism is a very big word...it has to have a history," Chari said.
WHAT AFRICAN STUDENTS SAY
Member of the African Students' Union Mobolade Jonathan described racism as a 'deliberate' issue.
"Even in (Delhi) Metro...if you are sitting...if there is space...they would not sit. This has been constantly happening in India. Yes, we are seriously unsafe in India," Jonathan said.
Ola Jackson, member, African Student Association, stressed that people who are terming recent attacks are minor scuffles should understand that those assaults were murderous in nature.
"This is a pure racism issue, a serious issue and it should be addressed. You don't call an incident, in which someone has been murdered, as minor scuffle," Jackson said.
Also read: Delhi: Ola cabbie thrashed by African nationals for refusing to carry extra passengers