Though I am writing on this after the shameful incident happened in the capital but it is not specific to the case and instead I want to present a broader perspective of racism in India. However, the reaction which the nation saw this time on this issue is something that never had happened earlier and I would like to congratulate India for accepting the fact that we too are racist as till now we were only projected as the victim of racism outside our country.
Are we really racist?
Lets not answer this in a simple 'yes' or 'no' 'cos sure it is not an objective question. Have you ever heard the song 'Hum Kale Hai To Kya Hua, Dilwale Hai'? This was from a movie Gumnaam where lungi wearing Mehmood with black painted face acted crazily on this song sung by Mohammed Rafi. How many have you watched the movie 'Sajan Chale Sasural'? Satish Kaushik's funny South Indian accent and crude racist dialogue was sure the unique selling proposition of the movie and it was a big hit. The unfair obsession of Indian's for fair skin is not hidden and it is well known that how companies take advantage by offering a range of beauty creams. I don't think I still need to answer this question.
Lets now talk about the incident that shook Delhi and the nation. Nido Taniam, with his friends, were in Lajpat Nagar (Delhi) looking for an address. Some people standing nearby a sweet shop started mocking him perhaps on his looks and hair style. He retaliated violently by breaking the glass door which escalated the incident leading to physical fight that cost a human life. This was one such incident that actually highlighted the racist behavior prevailing in the nation and exposed the Indian mentality. In a recent survey, 'World Values Survey', done by Swedish economists; an enthralling map of the world's most and least racially tolerant countries came out and as what happens always India was ranked top in the 'not good' list which I would have disagreed upon earlier but it is only the intolerance that was the main cause of this whole scenario. If only he had a 'normal' look, he would have been alive.
The sheep mentality, I would say, exists in the Indian society. A sheep follows the herd and like them we prefer following the general trend. However, when someone is different from us and stand out from the group we become all judgmental and start criticizing them. The one thing that we need to learn is to accept others the way they are and respect their identity.
