Accept we are racist

‘Racist’ has become a popular word in urban men dictionary soon after the brutal attack on North East student Nido Tania left the teen dead in our very own national capital. From the front page headlines to the prime time talk show, all have geared up to discuss the fact—“are we racist?”

Nido’s death forced all-from smart TV anchors to our parliamentarians to finish litters of water discussing the origin, facts, figure and reality of racism. The incident sparked a nationwide debate and discussion on racism. North eastern students have started protests asking justice for Nido. There is also special Face Book page dedicating the deceased soul. We can hope that this young innocent lad will get justice soon. And his killers will be punished. 
But what next? Will this punishment stop us from being racists?

Yes, accept the fact that we Indians are racists. It is the reality and a known fact that we –the citizen of ‘mainland India’ keep step motherly attitude for our people from North East and keep calling them by funny names following their physical appearance. But there are others also in target.

A large number of north east people are leaving from past a decade in Delhi. Those who came to pursue their college now have started living there and like others of our generation have no plan to leave the city. But yet they are ignored by others in the capital and sadly, also a subject of fun. 

If you have come for the first time in Delhi, the shopkeepers in busy Canaught Place or Lajpat Nagar or Sarojininagar market will teach you one word promptly-‘Chinky’. And you will adopt the word without knowing the effect. I also learnt the word in same way. And one of my north Indian friends explained the appropriate meaning of the word. We both have a few very close NE friends from our college. But that could not stop her calling them (of course behind them) ‘chinky people’. 

But what made me astonished is the regular discussion forum on racism in our country. We don’t have the guts to accept the fact that yes, we are racists. We not only have hatred feelings against our north eastern friends but also our colleague from Bihar or our next door neighbour from Bengal. We basically hate each other. We call Bengalis ‘Bong’ and spend hours disgusting their food habits or if we are under the Bong category, we will start shouting slogan explaining how rich Bengali culture is and why we are supreme among others? 

We know how ‘kanjus’ Marwaris are? Or we never like the food habits of Oriyas. And so on...

You might not call it racism as it is not physically hurting someone, or we might have become so accustomed with this hatred attitude against each other. But this attitude we are carrying in our blood, in our vein and only becoming more racist every day.  

We demand justice as well as we hope to get recover  from the illness of 'racism'.