WE ARE SORRY

I’m shocked. Genuinely. When I say that I am proud of my country, I mean the culture it possesses, the values on which it was built, the freedom struggle led by the ‘Father of our nation-M.K.GANDHI’, the very same man who spent his life trying to promote peace and non-violence. It is with tears in my eyes I say that I am ashamed. Truly. We tried our best. To rise above the pit of discrimination. To hold ourselves to higher standards. To make sure the world adores us. And respects us. But we forgot that respect was a two way street. We are the epitome of double standards because we forgot that we were on the receiving end once. Why? Why did we not remember that we too faced discrimination in a foreign land? Didn’t it hurt us? Of course it did. And we did not take it lightly now did we?

I deeply apologise to ‘Precious Amalcima’ and his younger brother, ‘Endurance Amarawa’, who while just enjoying a visit to mall in Noida were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I apologise to all the African students who were attacked. I apologise to all the African students living in Noida who face daily racism. I am deeply embarrassed to know that these 1000 people who relentlessly assaulted two students from Nigeria were born and raised in the same land as I was. And why did they do it? Because they thought that an Indian student was drugged to death by Africans. WOW. Just wow. Five Africans were detained. And they were let go. Why exactly? Because there was no evidence against them. This obviously angered the Indians so we responded in kind. 1000 people getting together in Greater Noida and attacking anyone who looks African is a smart choice of course. Inhuman, but smart.

Did we have so less faith in government to do justice for that Indian student, that we decided we were better than them? Really? I am hurt. Deeply. Did we forget when the same happened to Indian students in Australia back in 2009? Or can we just brush that aside for our own convenience and justify it by playing the ‘National Love’ card. What am I saying, of course we can. We did it to Gurmehar Kaur who was one of our own. Like I said, ‘Double standards’.

This is not the first time we decided to exercise our ‘RIGHT’ to racism. It happened last year in three incidents in Delhi where a Congolese national was beaten to death. It happened to a Tanzanian woman in Bengaluru. So what happened now was no big deal, at least for them. Is ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ nothing in this day and age?

Nigeria has two lakh Indians living there and they get the best hospitality. Why can’t we return the favour? Surely we are better than this. These people hear about our culture and come here to study in Peace. And what do we have to offer them? Big whoop. We aren’t really making our forefather proud.

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. I have one of my own. That people abroad admire me when I proudly say with my head held high, ’I am from India’.

And to all the ruthless attackers, if your intentions truly to drive out the vermin from this country, remember this line from Martin Luther King Jr.: “Darkness cannout drive out darkness; Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; Only love can do that.

To all the affected people; I am sorry.

WE ARE SORRY.