Ashley Tellis' reading of my article as an endorsement of the extra-legal not only simplifies but deliberately misreads the argument. The law can be both progressive as well as oppressive. The Armed Forces Special Power Act, under which the people of the northeast have lived for more than half a century, will testify to the latter.
How does Mr. Tellis believe that a law will come about given that India has not yet officially and/or unofficially accepted — indeed, has forcefully rejected — the existence of racism in the country? Progressive laws, as we know, are products of hard-fought struggles. Moreover, racism, particularly in the everyday, is more hegemonic than coercive in nature. This necessarily means it is difficult to prove but is felt experientially.
It is good that Mr. Tellis has brought out the issue of racism in the northeast (though his examples are not the best to illustrate this). But I fail to understand how the existence of racism in the societies of the northeastern States challenges my argument. He seems to suggest that the trauma of racism faced by the northeasterners is illegitimate because they are (potentially) racists towards others. His misreading of my article as asserting an Us and Them equation is unfortunate. In fact, I emphasised that fighting racism has to move beyond citizenship.
I would also like to add that terming a northeasterner/Tibetan/Nepali as chinky, and a ‘mainland Indian' being called mayang are not racists in the same way. To equate the two is not only (un)intentional misreading but to be complicit in the racist regime. It needs to be emphasised, here, that to equate racism with stereotypes, prejudices is not only to confuse conceptually but to derail the struggle. Furthermore, the more difficult task is to address the issue of a ‘victim's' response to the racist oppressor, ‘racially'.
Fighting racism is much more complex than a vision which looks at the law as a ‘magic wand'.
Keywords: racism issues
Whether it be the case of south accusing people of UP and Bihar of intruding into their place or the north eastern part projecting Bengali people as invaders, the ultimate conclusion we get is that Indians are not taking into account one of our constitutional rights i.e. right to travel or reside in any part of the country! regarding the case of electing their own regional govt. i must say its not quite effective due to defection being groomed in our political parties.
Indian constitution itself has given a green flag to racial discrimination by providing reservation on the basis of CASTE and not on ECONOMIC basis! while applying for any govt. job first you are asked about your CASTE!
The cure to this communicable disease that has been transferred to us from our ancestors is the common citizen themselves! No law can drive away this preoccupied worm from our minds,its we who can do this with our own will to shower the blessing of complete freedom to all Indians!
Lets not pretend, Racism is not only towards North Easterners. It exist all over India Based on Language, State, town, village, skin color and what else, and the Deadliest form is based on Caste. I would say India is the No 1 racist country in the world. But we(India Media) keep projecting that we are victims of racism.
I think we are all making a mistake!
The term 'Racism' was coined in the west where one 'race' summarily declared another as infirior (Caucasian vs Afrikan/coloured, Arayn 'Ubermensch' vs Jewish/non-aryan 'Untermensch') and where one 'race' asserted it's supremacy over another and subjugated/annihilated another. It remained behind in the form of 'segragation' for a few more decades.
We in India would be overzealous to paint ourselve with this label of 'Racist'. I think we suffer from a subtly different disease i.e.'discremination'. And sure that is a sign of society not yet mature. Westerners accuse us of being racist because they see the ongoing descriminations, prejudices and preferences that are unlike theirs, but that's because they are not in a position to understand the diverse and heterogeneous nature of our society.
'Descriminate', sure we do, but I don't think we think of ourselves being superior to another. We're not racist in that sense.
Racism in all its forms,expressions and manifestations is a malaise
for any country including India.Though government may not have
explicitly acknowledged racism as a problem,prohibition on racial
discrimination in all articles related to discriminations in part III
of constitution, related to fundamental rights,in itself acknowledge
that racial discrimination exist in India.
Debate on whether legal or extralegal measures are better for
combating this social evil,is seeing the solution in parts,rather than
taking holistic approach.Legal measures in itself are never self-
sufficient is demonstrable in case of other social problems such as
discrimination on the basis of sex and caste,which also arise from
prejudicial nature of human beings.Social awareness,education and
activism is of paramount importance for rooting out any social
problem,including racism,in addition to statutory provisions.Because
in the end,Law can not stop any crime absolutely,it just gives victim
some closure.
Mr. Tellis and Mr. Jilangamba make valid points. As some of the
commentators remark, the prejudices exhibited towards one group by
another cannot be cleanly categorized as 'racism'. The terms racism,
racist and race itself is inappropriate. Racist beliefs stems from
the idea that one group is biologically, culturally, socially,
intellectually and/or emotionally superior to a group solely based on
differences in physical appearances of group members. India is
prejudiced just as a lot of other Asian countries are with regards to
skin colour and no more (or less) prejudiced than a lot of Western
countries. The only difference between us and the developed west is we
are transparent about our prejudices and do nothing to ameliorate the
situation. Dark skinned women not finding husbands, Muslims not
finding housing, northeastern girls being fair play in Delhi, tribal
and dalit women being perceived as loose, unwanted girl children...the
list is endless....
Racism is not about us and them. Its about all of us.
If we go back in time and imagine that there was a time when there was
no racism, then how did it all start ?
By stereotyping and developing preconceived notions about other
people.Stereotyping is the first step to racism.
Stereotyping if kept limited is not harmful but when it goes out of
proportion, then it may lead to racism.
Today we have a preconceived notion about everyone whether he or she
is from east, west, north or south.
Why judge a person on these preconceived notions ?
When India got independence, it had an under developed economy with 86% of the population engaged in agriculture of the subsistence kind. Assam's resources funded the development of India after independence. India needed money for infra-structure,capital and heavy basic industries etc. The main exports in the early years of the republic were (i) Tea (90% came from Assam) (ii) Jute (50% from Assam) and (iii) Cotton textiles. Assam also provided for 50% of the nation's petroluem requirements upto the 70s.The railway sleepers came from the Hollong and Hollokh trees from Assam. What has it got in return ? (i) Vivisection of ths state into 5 states (ii) Economic exploitation (iii) Flooding the region with Bengalis (we cannot elect our own govts. anymore) (iv) Discrimination in providing jobs (both private and public sector) to only people from outside the region taking advantage of our hospitability and docile nature.
The debate over racism has been intentionally reduced to a discussion
over the state of affairs in the North eastern states, the way NE are
treated by the mainland Indians and the way they retaliate. One thing
is given that discrimination is there in India. I would say rather that
its discrimination that is pervasive across the nation which assaults
our integrity and raises questions over our self appointed status of
being an egalitarian society. There are regional discrimination,
discrimination based on linguistic persuasion and even discrimination
over dressing code is evident and is seen in patches. To claim that its
the NE citizens who are treated like non-Indians in not perfect. The
deeper malaise of has been affecting all of us. Why the NE issues get
pronounced is because they represent themselves as the victim of RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION without realizing that the Indian nation is a society of
discrimination. When Phrase Racial precedes Phrase Discrimination it
becomes frightening.
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