India has a long tradition of hosting guests from all over the world. Whatever may be the circumstances, we shouldn’t digress from this tradition while dealing with the African students
K Syam Prasad
In the globalised world there is a free flow of people across national boundaries for better education and employment. A good number of students from India are going to US, UK, Australia and European countries for
better education and employment. With their intellectual capabilities and hard-working many Indians have attained higher positions and are serving their land for development. Recently there was resentment in US, where the local youth are claiming that their opportunities are being grabbed by Indians. After the
election of Donald Trump as the President of USA, certain racial elements in the American society have mistaken the mandate of the public and are attacking Indians. Even though racisim prevails in US and other European
countries, most of the ordinary Americans are maintaining good relations with Indian origin people.
Non-resident Indians are not only preserving and practising our cultural values on one hand but also maintaining good relations with Whites, Blacks, Hispanics and all ethnic groups. Indian origin people abroad are our nation’s cultural representatives. We expect them to conduct themselves in this spirit and they do not fail us.
It is in this context that we have to examine the recent isolated incidents in Bengaluru and Noida—attacks on Nigerian students by local people. It is highly condemnable. The police should play pro-active role in identifying the culprits and ensuring speedy justice. African countries are most backward countries in the world. Africans were discriminated and marginalised by US and other European countries for last three centuries. Even now this discrimination continues in many forms.
In most of the places, the relationship between Indians and African students are harmonious. Local Indians give all help to foreign students in getting good
education in India, after that they go to their Motherland to serve their society. Historically, from Vivekananda to Gandhi, Indians have been in support of Blacks’ rights. Government of India has been supporting African countries in their economic developmental programes. A good number of students are studying in our Universities. Since the time of Takshila, Nalanda, India has been the coveted place for most of the students from these countries. The Indian students and locals should behave with foreign students in the manner we have been interacting with them since time immemorial. India and Indians have been known universally for being warm and tolerant in the world. So in this context, the attacks on foreign nationals are an aberration culturally and morally and it is an unIndian act.
Recent interview of Samuel T Jack (President, Association of African Studens in India) in Times of India on March 31 is alarming. Branding Indian as racist nation and suggesting that Indians in Nigeria will face difficulties is highly condemnable. The action of few Indians are no reflection of our history and
culture. We kindly remind him and other African students that they need not feel scared and assure them that we will do whatever necessary to ameliorate their fear. At the same time we denounce all efforts of certain vested interests that want to paint India and Indians as racist.
In this situation Indian students,
university administration and police should interact with foreign students in the most cordial way and accommodate them in our social and cultural world. At the same time, let us be vigilant against the anti-national forces that are trying to destroy the credibility of our nation through false and misleading propaganda.
(The writer is an All India Convenor
Samajika Samarasata Manch)
