News Analysis India

Tag: racism

  • Kumail Nanjiani says mainstream America has normalised racist language

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Pakistani-American comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani thinks racist language has become “much more acceptable in mainstream circles” in recent years, reports ‘Female First UK’.

    The 44-year-old actor, who was born in Karachi, noted that racist attitudes remain in America, two decades on from his stand-up comedy debut in the country.

    Reflecting on his early days as a stand-up comedian, Kumail explained, quoted by ‘Female First UK’: “By and large, it was still unacceptable to be racist in the public sphere back then. George Bush even quoted the Quran in a speech – could you imagine (Donald) Trump doing that?”

    He added: “Now, I feel like racist language has become much more acceptable in mainstream circles. I told myself back then that most people still saw me as American. I’m not so sure any more.”

    As per ‘Female First UK’, Kumail hasn’t performed any stand-up comedy in three years, and he’s now unsure about what his fans want to see. The comedian-turned-actor is also aware of the expectations that now follow him.

    He told ‘The Guardian’ newspaper: “I really want to do more comedy, but I don’t know what people want me to talk about any more. Do they want jokes about my life? And will my jokes before this break still work? I can’t exactly go to a tiny open mic to test it out, since people know me, there’s an expectation now.”

    LOS ANGELES: Pakistani-American comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani thinks racist language has become “much more acceptable in mainstream circles” in recent years, reports ‘Female First UK’.

    The 44-year-old actor, who was born in Karachi, noted that racist attitudes remain in America, two decades on from his stand-up comedy debut in the country.

    Reflecting on his early days as a stand-up comedian, Kumail explained, quoted by ‘Female First UK’: “By and large, it was still unacceptable to be racist in the public sphere back then. George Bush even quoted the Quran in a speech – could you imagine (Donald) Trump doing that?”

    He added: “Now, I feel like racist language has become much more acceptable in mainstream circles. I told myself back then that most people still saw me as American. I’m not so sure any more.”

    As per ‘Female First UK’, Kumail hasn’t performed any stand-up comedy in three years, and he’s now unsure about what his fans want to see. The comedian-turned-actor is also aware of the expectations that now follow him.

    He told ‘The Guardian’ newspaper: “I really want to do more comedy, but I don’t know what people want me to talk about any more. Do they want jokes about my life? And will my jokes before this break still work? I can’t exactly go to a tiny open mic to test it out, since people know me, there’s an expectation now.”

  • Gujarat BJP rift comes to fore

    By Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: Competitive activism over the Patidar movement involving Hardik Patel exposed a rift within the Gujarat BJP on Wednesday. State party spokesperson Yagnesh Dave accused Rahul Gandhi of being racist for praising Dalit activist Jignesh Mewani in his Tuesday rally while ignoring Hardik Patel, the sulking state Congress working president. 

    “There is terrible racism going on in the Congress. Rahul Gandhi mentioned Jignesh Mewani’s name while Hardik Patel spent more time in jail than Jignesh Mewani,” said Dave.

    However, two BJP leaders — Varun Patel and Chirag Patel — opposed Dave’s statement. The two Patels had joined the BJP after the Patidar agitation. Chirag tweeted: “I have also been in jail during the Patidar agitation. Instead of praising Hardik, show some sympathy and love for us too.” 

  • Striking the Right Chord

    Express News Service

    She is all of 21, but the rich, full and vibrant voice of Chandrika Darbari, or RIKA as she is better known, is deceptive of her status as a newbie in the pop music scene.

    British-Indian pop musicianChandrika Darbari Swaying her fiery red hair from left to right and back, the young British-Indian musician performs with a kind of confidence exuded only by the biggest of the stars, writing and singing her rhythmic compositions.   

    Pop icons Mariah Carey and Rihanna are RIKA’s idols, and she will stop at nothing to emulate the artistic journeys of her role models.  “They are such strong, powerful and insanely talented women, which is how I like to align myself,” she says.

    RIKA is currently riding high on success after bagging the Artist of the Year, ASIA award at 18th annual Urban Music Awards 2022—another feather in her cap that is already sagging under the weight of the accolades she has accumulated in her short career.

    She broke into the professional music scene, when she took the world by storm at the age of 17 with her single No Need that was themed around bullying and racism. It topped the charts in India and became BBC Radio’s number one song of the week. Since then, she has rarely left the spotlight, quite literally. 

    In 2019, RIKA was the featured artist on the Brits’ ‘Sunday Spotlight’, and also won in the ‘Best UK Female Act’ category at the BritAsia TV Music Awards. 

    She received the ‘Rising Star’ award at the ninth Asian Awards the same year. She is also the first teen Asian-British artiste to be signed by Virgin EMI Record Labels.

    For her latest achievement at the Urban Music Awards, she impressively beat several established artists, many of whom have been enjoying overwhelming fandom for several years in India. The list includes B Praak, Gurj Sidhu, Sidhu Moose Wala, Neha Kakkar, Jasmine Sandlas, Pak–Man, Ezu, PropheC and Karan Aujla.

    But the young artist is careful not to let success go to her head. Not after receiving numerous awards. Not even after she became the first artiste last year to be signed by Warner Music India, which is attempting to bring more Indian sounds to the global stage.

    For RIKA, her fans’ appreciation and adulation is her number one award. She says, “The support for my music and the love I receive is the biggest award of all.”

    RIKA began her journey as a musician at the age of nine, when she joined her school choir, and never looked back. Born to a Serbian mother and an Indian father, her multicultural upbringing had a significant impact on her art.

    RIKA has often taken up social issues through her music. In 2016, she penned For Peace in Syria, the video which garnered over 9,00,000 views on YouTube in just a few weeks. It also helped raise funds for UNICEF.

    “They (children in Syria) didn’t deserve to be a part of the pain and being a teenager myself, I really connected with them,” she recalls.

    Authenticity is of utmost importance to the young musician who also doubles up as a songwriter, and for that Ed Sheeran has been an inspiration. “He puts his authenticity in his music and I do the same in mine, as I write or co-write all of my songs,” she says.

    Bollywood music has also had a role to play in her musical success. Some of her favourite Indian artists include Jubin Nautiyal, Armaan Malik and Neha Kakkar.

    RIKA’s last song release was in 2021—‘Love to You’—in which she collaborated with Bollywood singer Ankit Tiwari. She is looking forward to a year of upcoming singles and collaborations. All geared in forward motion, RIKA seems ready to toss out her newbie cap, and don the title of a star. 

  • Assam CM Himanta calls out dance reality show for racism, host issues clarification

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has criticised the host of a television reality show for introducing a contestant from the state with words such as “momo” and “chowmein” and speaking “gibberish Chinese”.

    “It has come to my notice that a popular reality show host has used racist rhetoric against a young participant from Guwahati. This is shameful and totally unacceptable,” Sarma tweeted.

    Stating that racism has no place in the country, he insisted everyone should condemn it unequivocally.

    A clip of Colors TV’s “Dance Deewane 3” has gone viral, triggering outrage on social media. The contestant is a little girl, Gunjan Sinha, from Guwahati.

    Cricketer Riyan Parag, who too is a Guwahati lad, tweeted, “Assam is very much in India as any other state. No hate to this man but these comparisons need to stop. Jai Hind. Joi Axom,” he wrote on the micro-blogging site.

    Twitter was flooded with comments with the netizens slamming the presenter for his alleged “hate” and “racist” remarks.

    “It’s 2021, but the #racist Indians still practicing Chinese ‘momo’, ‘ching chong, #racism as a comic element on their national television with their #bollywood celebs applauding it,” a user C Thounaojam wrote.

    Meanwhile, Juyal asked his critics to watch the previous episodes of the show before judging him.

    “A clip has gone viral with people calling me racist. I want them to watch the entire show and then judge me. Judging me based on the small clip will not be good for my mental health and for those who know me,” Juyal, who introduces himself on Twitter as an actor, dancer, entertainer, nature lover, dreamer and creator, said.

    “We usually ask children about their hobbies when they come to participate. Gunjan said she can speak Chinese. We used to laugh but she kept speaking gibberish from thereon. In that particular episode, I had addressed her the way she does,” he said.

  • ‘EastEnders’ actress Gurlaine Kaur Garcha opens up on racist attack

    By IANS
    LONDON: Punjab-origin British actress Gurlaine Kaur Garcha, widely known for her role of Ash Panesar in the popular series “EastEnders”, has opened up on feeling “angry, sad and embarrassed” on being the target of racism.

    The 27-year-old actress, born in Luton, England, said the incident “came from nowhere” and left her in tears and feeling “ashamed” because she was unable to “brush off” the unnamed woman’s tirade, reports dailymail.co.uk on Tuesday.

    Garcha made the revelation in a long post she shared on Instagram the day before. In the post, she categorically talks of being a “victim to verbal racial abuse” that she described as “a completely unprovoked attack”. Adding that she was proud of her British, Punjabi, Kenyan and Sikh roots, Garcha questioned in her post: “When will racism end?”

    She shared her post with a picture of a pink and a brown hand clasping each other. “Say no to racism”, goes the slogan beneath the visual in the image.

    Garcha wrote on Instagram: “Yesterday I was a victim to verbal racial abuse. It came from nowhere, I wasn’t expecting it, and even though I know racism exists and I could always be victim to it, it was still deeply deeply shocking. In a completely unprovoked attack, I was told by a woman to go back home, to return to wherever I’ve come from, and to stay there. The initial shock was that someone was so comfortable to say this to me in public, not once but several times. It made me feel angry, sad, and embarrassed. It upset me, and as a result of being upset I felt weak. I was ashamed that I wasn’t able to just brush it off and continue with my day as normal. Instead, what followed were tears of sadness and frustration. how can someone be allowed to say something so racially driven and then walk away? Why do I then have to deal with all the feelings that come with it? Why do I have to tell myself to stay calm and not to retaliate? And why do I have to be the one left crying? It seems so unfair that I am judged by the colour of skin. My thoughts and feelings of fear weren’t just about that moment, but about a future where my children, nieces and nephews will have to face the same discrimination and hate. My heart sinks that deep down I know this won’t be the last time I experience something like this.

    “Initially I wasn’t going to say anything, but waking up this morning and feeling burdened with the same sadness from the day before, I realised that by speaking out it may help someone who has experienced the same, and make them realise they’re not alone.

    “When will racism end?

    “I am proud to be British. I am proud that my grandparents were born in Punjab. I am proud that my parents were born in Kenya. And I am proud to be Sikh. I celebrate all these things. I wish others did too,” she concluded.

  • YouTuber Paras Singh booked in Arunachal for racist remarks against Congress MLA Ninong Ering

    By PTI
    ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh government has filed a case against a social media influencer from Punjab for his alleged racial remarks against a Congress MLA, and “ill will towards the people of the state”.

    Paras Singh, who goes by the name ‘Paras Official’ on his YouTube channel, had in a video posted on Sunday termed Congress MLA Ninong Ering a “non-Indian” and apparently claimed the “state was a part of China”, sparking furore among Arunchalees as well as people from other parts of the country.

    In yet another video, posted earlier in the day, he has apologised for his comments.

    “A case has been registered against Paras for racial hatred and the cyber crime branch in Itanagar is investigating the matter,” DGP R P Upadhyaya said.

    Chief Minister Pema Khandu, taking to Twitter, condemned the racial slur and said the “video aims at inciting ill will and hatred towards the people of Arunachal Pradesh”.

    Khandu further added that the social media account of the person is being thoroughly investigated for details about his activities and whereabouts.

    Social media should be used with due caution and any infringement will lead to action as per law, the CM added.

    Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein underlined that he was “appalled and greatly dismayed” to see the YouTube post, which not just “casts doubt on the nationality of the Arunachal Pradesh MLA but also questions the existence of the state within India”.

    “To doubt our nationality because of how we look is a problem most of us from the North East of India face regularly in the mainland. What we look like, how we dress, what we eat and how we live makes us no less Indian.

    “We are proud to be a state in the Union of India where even in the interior most we greet each other with a ‘Jai Hind’ and primary school children even in the border villages sing ‘Saare Jahaan se Achha, Hindustan Hamara’ with pride,” he said in his official twitter handle.

    The deputy CM sought an unconditional apology from the YouTuber for his remarks.

    “I strongly condemn this racist and arrogant act of Mr Paras Singh (Bunty). Every Arunachalee and every right thinking Indian must condemn such prejudiced views. He must apologise unconditionally to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. @PemaKhanduBJP @KirenRijiju @ninong_erring,” Mein added.

    Singh had apparently made the comments while reacting to a letter written by Ering to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wherein he had sought a ban on the relaunch of PUBG Mobile as Battlegrounds Mobile India.

    The Pasighat East MLA, when contacted, said he would soon file a case against Singh.

    Meanwhile, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) issued a statement to say that the people of the state are “greatly hurt” by the remarks.

    “Such incidents are not isolated ones and have been happening time and again in various parts of the country.

    “It is really distressing that even after over 70 years of the country’s independence, people from the state and the northeast region in general still face humiliation in other parts of the country, whenever they go there for work or study,” the joint statement by AAPSU president Hawa Bagang and general secretary Tabom Dai said.

  • ‘We feel grief and anger’: BTS slams anti-Asian racism in West

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: K-pop sensation BTS has criticised the incidents of racial discrimination and violence towards Asian people in the West.

    The South Korean boy band, one of the most popular groups in world music, posted a statement on social media in both Korean and English, accompanied with the hashtags — #StopAsianHate and #StopAAPIHate.

    The septet, comprising RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook, recalled moments when they faced “discrimination as Asians”.

    “We send our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. We feel grief and anger,” BTS said.

    Though the group did not refer to any particular incident of anti-Asian discrimination, their statement comes weeks after six women of Asian descent were among eight people killed by a gunman in a series of shootings at massage parlours in Georgia, US.

    The group recalled its own moments of “discrimination as Asians” but said their experience was “inconsequential” compared to the events of last few weeks.

    “We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look.

    We were even asked why we spoke in English.

    We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason.

    “Our own experience are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks.

    But these experiences were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem,” BTS said.

    The band said that it took “considerable time” for them to decide how they should voice the message as they believe that whatever is happening in the world cannot be separated from their “identity as Asians”.

    “What our voice must convey is clear. We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together,” BTS said.

    Previously, Hollywood celebs like Rihanna, actor Daniel Dae Kim, Mindy Kaling, Steven Yeun, Olivia Munn, Simu Liu, and filmmakers Lee Isaac Chung and Lulu Wang had spoken up against the wave of hate incidents targeting Asian people in the US.

  • Bullying of student at Oxford: Will take up racism issues with UK whenever required, assures Jaishankar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: India will take up with the UK when required the alleged incidents of racism in Britain, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

    He also described India as the land of Mahatma Gandhi and said it can never turn its eyes away from racism.

    Responding to concerns raised by a BJP MP over racism and cyberbullying that forced Indian-origin Rashmi Samant to resign as president of the Oxford University Students Union, the minister said New Delhi has strong ties with the UK and will take up such matters with great candour when required.

    “I note the sentiments of the House,” he said.

    “I do want to say that as a land of Mahatma Gandhi, we can never ever turn our eyes away from racism wherever it is. Particularly so when it is in a country where we have such a large diaspora,” he said.

    Samant, the first Indian woman to be elected as president of the Oxford University Students Union, was forced to resign within five days of her appointment over several of her social media posts that were labelled anti-Semitic and racist.

    BJP’s Ashwini Vaishnav said she was cyberbullied and her parent’s Hindu religious beliefs were publicly attacked by a faculty member.

    “As a friend of the UK, we also have concerns about its reputational impact,” Jaishankar said.

    “What I do want to say is that we have strong ties with the UK (and) we will take up such matters with great candour when required.”

    “We will monitor these developments very, very closely. We will raise it when required and we will always champion the fight against racism and other forms of intolerance,” he added.

    Raising the issue through a zero hour mention, Vaishnav said there appears to a continuation of attitudes and prejudices from the colonial era in the United Kingdom.

    Samant, a bright student from Udupi, Karnataka,overcame all challenges to become the first Indian women president of the union, he said.

    But “what was the treatment meted out to her?” he asked.

    “Shouldn’t this diversity been celebrated?” “Instead of that, she was cyberbullied to the point that she had to resign.

    Even the Hindu religious belief of her parents was publicly attacked by a faculty member, which went unpunished.

    If this happens at an institute like Oxford what is the message that goes out to the world,” he said.

    While she did issue a public apology for ‘unintentionally’ hurting anyone’s emotions, Samant believes she was unfairly targeted as a ‘conscious attempt’.

    Vaishnav also brought up Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle’s accusations of racism by UK royals.

    “A behaviour of a society is actually a reflection of its beliefs and value system. If such practices of racial discrimination are followed at the highest level in society what would be the following at the lower levels,” he asked.

    Stating that the two instances were not isolated, he said the treatment of migrants and their segregation in the UK on a racial basis is very well known all over the world.

    A recent report stated that the death rate among people of Asian origin because of COVID-19 is higher than the death rate in other communities in the UK, he said.

    “Doesn’t it raise a major question about equitable access to health and indeed the entire basic human rights issue?” He went on to state that India is a country with a large diaspora in the UK.

    “There is a natural concern for all of us. The era of colonialism is over but the mindset seems to be still persistent. This is where the UK has to change. If it wants our respect, it has to change,” he said, asking the External Affairs minister to take up the matter with the UK government.