Over the last couple of years, Nigerian national James has seen scores of Africans leave south Delhi’s Khirki Extension village for “safer” residential areas in other parts of the city.
James really doesn’t have the option to leave as he has spent a fortune setting up his ‘Divine International Barbing Saloon’ and has a loyal set of customers, which include Africans as well as locals.
He, however, holds out hope that the “hostile” environment — that has persisted ever since the infamous January 2014 raid by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Somnath Bharti at an alleged brothel run by Africans — will change and the locals will become more welcoming.
Money talks
Adding that the situation has already begun to improve, James says that the locals also realise that foreigners like him pay premium on rents. “I pay at least 40 per cent more than what this tiny room would otherwise demand,” he says while tending to customers.
Dinesh, a local shopkeeper, says: “Locals and Africans have begun to realise that both need each other for survival. We get paid extra for renting our houses and shops and they get a convenient area to stay and do business,” says
The “change” in attitude has been evident over the last four months, especially since the Delhi Police began holding regular “sensitisation meetings” in the area.
“Ever since I started this saloon, I would find a huge heap of garbage strewn at the shutters every morning. When this did not stop, I decided to trust the police and called them. A team arrived immediately and the menace came to an end from the very next morning”.
Sylvester, a shop owner, says: “We try to live as ideal neighbours now. The elders in the village have told the representatives of the foreigners that they can approach us if they face any problems. Some of us have even invited them to our homes for festivals.”
Slyvester says that the foreigners still indulge in violent quarrels among themselves — a major complaint of the locals — but such incidents have gone down substantially.
“There are very few of them left here now,” he adds.
By various estimates, the population of Africans living in Khirki Extension has fallen by up to 90 per cent since the Bharti episode.
“Though Khirki was always a convenient location for us, people from my country are still scared to move back here. But now there is a sense of safety when I visit my friends here,” says Bacia, a Ugandan national. For her own safety, she still plugs in earphones when she walks down the streets of Khirki Extension or even in Arjun Nagar where she lives. “Some people still refer to us with bad names. I choose to ignore them,” says Bacia.
Ground reality
When The Hindu visited Khirki Extension, it was seen that people on both sides were less aggressive to each other, but the locals still used derogatory terms for the Africans.
“Are you referring to the Habshis ,” asks Mohd Hasnain, another local shopkeeper. Otherwise coming across as hospitable towards Africans who visit his shop, Mr. Hasnain says he sees “nothing wrong” with the term. “They also do not mind it,” he adds.
But mind, the Africans do.
“There was a time when locals would cheer me when I tried speaking in Hindi. Today I have learnt the language, but won’t use it as they may abuse me in Hindi if they realise I understand the meaning of their slangs,” says Utibe, a Nigerian.
Mustafa, a student and a native of Somalia, says: “As long as we stay subordinate to the locals, there will be no trouble.
