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Racism is an issue that has been talked about a lot in recent times. It has been highlighted more after the death of George Floyd, an African American man, who was killed by a White police officer- Derek Chauvin.
Indians have shown their support for the protests against the issue of racism in America. But their hypocrisy is being called out as they have been silent about the discrimination, hardships and systematic oppression and injustice that the lower castes face.
Discrimination in India and the West:
Indians have never talked about racism which is prevalent in our country. Discrimination in India is based on caste, creed, colour, sex, economic background and even the part of the country they originate from. Meanwhile, in the West, mainly the immigrants, black and brown people, Asians and Muslims become victims of discrimination, systematic racism and injustice.
Discrimination in India based on Colour, Caste and Economic Status:
Indians have been obsessed with the fair skin since the Britishers were ruling us. The fair skin became synonymous with the superior race. But India has come to witness racism of all kinds since then.
Humans have two basic jobs. One to eat and the other to excrete. So, the population was divided into two sectors, one who grew food i.e. the farmers and the other who cleaned the excreta i.e. the sanitary workers.
People looked down upon the sanitary workers and praised the farmers who provided the food. Then the caste system was made so that there could be a division in the society and the Upper caste should have to do nothing with the lower castes.
Racism in Western Countries:
In the West, the discrimination originated after the immigration of people like Jews, Muslims and Africans. They were always treated as different because of their foreign origin. Eventually, the focus shifted on the Africans Americans, Africans and Muslims primarily.
David Goldenberg mentioned that black people were targeted and resisted more- because black was considered evil or death rather than their behaviour or action. He also said that the animosity faced by the Black people merits the description of racism.
Racial disparity and bias in the justice system of America are evident in the mass incarcerations and killing of innocent African American people. The United Nations has mentioned that the state is not acting diligently to protect the rights of African American people.
Black people in the west are often seen with suspicion and associated with criminals. This is the reason why they are questioned and stopped more than the White people.
Racism in India:
In India, the scope of racism is quite wide. Not only the people with darker skin but also many other people like North-East Indians are targeted and mocked. Many North-East Indians were looked upon with contempt when the coronavirus pandemic started.
The main reason for this racism against these people is because they share the ‘mongoloid’ feature of the East Asians. The country reported a spike in the number of racist attacks against the North-east Indians.
They have been called out in the past as well with names like ‘chinki’. Indians have often hurled such mockery towards them just as a ‘joke’, never even understanding the seriousness of the situation.
The Difference of Attitude Towards Racism in India and the West:
The main difference between the racism seen in India and the West is that- Indians have never stood upon such a large scale- to condemn the prevalent racism in India. Whereas in the west, the death of George Floyd has given way to a huge Black Lives Matter protest in America and all over the world.
In the West, the domestic workers or housekeepers have their fixed salary and they have rights to protect themselves. They are not looked down upon and treated with respect. While in India, the underprivileged maids and servants are treated as untouchables, for instance, some are not allowed to sit at the same table.
Discrimination in India has reached its crescendo and its impact is far greater than any other country. People are killed today just because they married outside their community. Honour killings are done in the name of racial superiority.
The United Nations has mentioned that thousand of African Americans in detention centres without telling the root cause of their crime. They have not even been promised effective rehabilitation.
Conclusion:
The concept of racism is very different for Western countries as compared to India. In India, the scope is wide too, as people are targeted for their caste, religion, colour, economic status, origin, and much more.
It is high time that we acknowledge the inherent racist attitude that we have inherited from our society. Let us make sure that we teach our children and the society that everyone is equal and take the necessary steps to uproot the same.
So that the young children don't have to grow up way too earlier, to understand these inequalities and fight for them on the streets after an unfortunate incident, just as little kids did in America at the Black Lives Matter Protest following the death of George Floyd.
They were way too young to understand the evils of our society- but they still did and stood straight against it. As adults, we should all stand with the victims, fight for what is right and protect our children from these horrors and atrocities in our society.
Written by - Trishla Gupta
Edited by - Ivanova
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