Denying racism is racism : Chinky syndrome
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 12, 2012 -

Jamia Students protesting against racism towards NE students on 28 October 2009 :: Pix by Ibomacha Oinam

Denying racism is racism.

This is a slogan that is fast gaining currency in the western countries and intrinsic in this slogan is the message that to tackle racism, it should first be acknowledged first.

It is against this backdrop that the statements of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister that there is no 'institutionalised racism' in India should be viewed.

"There is no racism in India" stand was made in the context of the deaths of Loitam Richard and Dana Sangma but we need to look beyond this to really understand where the Government of India stands on the issue of racism which is more apparent than apparent itself.

Racial profiling is a term coined by the media not by merely clutching at some straws being blown around by a gust of wind but from observing the instances at the ground reality.

The chinky syndrome runs deep. Nowhere is this more apparent than the reported assurance given by Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal to a group of delegates that the University Grants Commission would be sounded if any institution turns a blind eye when anyone from the North East region is referred to as a Chinky.

This is where the contradiction between what the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister and Kapil Sibal said becomes palpable.

From the statements of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, it is apparent that Delhi is not ready to acknowledge an issue and as long as this state of self denial persists, racism or racial profiling of certain groups of people coming from a region, like the North East, will continue.

From the statements of Dr Singh and Mr P Chidambaram, it is clear that real politiks, read the need to convey the message to the international fora that India is a country free from racial discrimination has taken precedence over the ground reality.

In fact so ingrained is the racist culture that it is not uncommon to see some students from the North East region identifying themselves as Chinkies. Can anyone imagine a black American identifying himself as a N*gg*r ?

Technically the Prime Minister may be right in stating that there is no 'institutionalised racism in India' for that would place it at par with South Africa before it did away with the globally unacceptable Apartheid policy.

A distinction needs to be made between institutionalised racism and racism per se but the question of deeper import is whether Delhi and its mandarins are ready to accept the ground reality or not.

As we have noted here, to tackle the issue of racism, to which people from the North East are subjected to once they cross the 'Chicken Neck,' it should first be acknowledged.

It was not for nothing that a Manipuri scientist working at the Forensic Science Laboratory at Delhi had to file a defamation suit against some of his colleagues on the ground that he was subjected to racial abuse with terms such as 'Chinkys' and 'Ching Chong'.

What Delhi, particularly the Prime Minister and the Home Minister should realise is the point that the charge of racism has been raised not to defame the country but to work out a solution.

And this is why we say it is unfortunate and at the same time infuriating to see the political leaders so non-chalantly brushing aside the question of the people from the North East being subjected to racial abuse.

It was not so long ago that a good number of people from the North East were asked to produce their passports as proof of identity when the Chinese Premier visited the country for the BRICS summit.

We wonder whether this would fall in the category of the cops doing their job meticulously or were blinded by certain prejudices that all people who appear physically different are not citizens of the land.

Even if we take away the term racial, the stereotyping or the parameters of profiling certain section of the people is something that stands out prominently. It is this reality that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister should have acknowledged.

Racism exists in India. Delhi should admit this and to deal this, the first step should be to acknowledge that racism is very much here in this supposedly secular country where there is to be no discrimination on the basis of religion, caste or race.