- Thu, 9 Sep, 2010, 10:55 am -

|| Jyoti Sonia Dhan ||
Racism is the belief that race is a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. On contrary, racism can be described as the belief that a certain race or races portray undesirable characteristics. It is also seen as certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive preferential treatment. Although Racism usually denotes race based principle prejudices, violence, dislikes, discrimination or oppression. In spite of United Nation Declaration International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination , racisum is practice ceremonalisly.

The history of racism originated with capitalism and slave trade. As the Marxist writer CLR James put it, "The conception of dividing people by race begins with the slave trade. This thing was so shocking, so opposed to all the conceptions of society which religion and philosophers had…that the only justification by which humanity could face it was to divide people into races and decide that the Africans were an inferior race."

India was not left behind while narrating of racism; they had also being part to it including promotion also. There were innumerable instances of racist attitude with African students or visitors in India. In one hand there was deliberation and discussion in media about Indian students in Australia who they face violence under Australian goons but here back in India Black American is treated in different way. I found some boys laughing and commenting at the Black visitor because of his dressing sense. In New Delhi African student who was doing PhD from Delhi school of Economic was asked by ATM guard why he has come to machine while his white friend was saluted. Similarly, in Mumbai another African was not allowed to enter the pub.

Not only is this there is different attitude towards the North East people in the capital state of New Delhi. They were referred ‘chinkies’ due to physical features, languages and tribal background. There were attacks in forms of verbal and sexual harassment to female. This has led to drop of female north east students in New Delhi.

In a democratic country, does democracy plays with people’s diversity. Then this democracy has failed to teach people about the country’s rich diversity of culture and language. There was fight for this democracy through freedom struggle sixty two years back when country was under the British rule who divided the country into colonies. They practice racisum with Indians and discriminated them in ever ways. Was it that the Britisher when left gifted back with the jewels of racisum which we Indian practiced it in the later period of time.

It is true that colour of skin has lot do with beautiful and ugly, good and bad, progress and regress, upgraded and downgraded. So the colour white and black distinguishes them. Here, the competency, value, honest doesn’t not matter. These qualities were by default favored to fairer skin or white complexion. The Black is beautiful is not in the mindset of everyone.

The adoption centre Indian Central Adoption Resource authority shows that more of the adoption is with fair skinned babies and dark skin babies were adopted by western who come to India for social work. So, Indians are looking for fair skin babies.

Nevertheless, the worst is the innumerable fairness cream in the market and it had left the Indian mass with notion white is beautiful. Initially, there were fairness creams for women and now it’s for men. So testing the Indian Psychic the fairness cream business boomed in every parts of India. This had rooted the young minds that being a fair will score more marks in school. Even the teachers prefer fairer child to be in as the frontiers. The offer of best job or qualified for a job is now based on the individual’s complexion. The personality test is based not on intelligence or academic excellence but on the complexion. So, the Black is beautiful is not in the mindset of everyone.

Nevertheless, the matrimonial sities bombard with advertisement of fairer bride and is once again the racist attitude mingled with gender biasness. There were instances where proposal of a dark beauty is turned down for not being fair. The proposal is only accepted with high raise in dowry for her with this handicap ness.

So it just illustrates that how racists we Indians are. But it difficult to understand why black is not beautiful. How colour and physics rules our minds. It can be said that we are very consumerist hence we look for outer charm rather looking for inner charm and strength. It’s about feeling of superior or high in heaven.

The root cause of racisum is ignorance, lack of understanding and false perception about others which amounts to lack of knowledge which once again lay to lack of ignorance. This ignorance can be overcome when we are educated. Education does not mean only of academic to join hands with capitalism but about socialism. But, once again there in debate that capitalistic have the social environment and wants to sustain this environment. But, in Indian caste based society rule everywhere that has brought into discrimination based on colour also.

Racisum is also about fallen humanity’s egotism, when one starts taunting other by saying you are not like us or look like us. There are diversity and have genetic variation this has to be accepted by all. The Law can not only end to such discrimination until the mind set is change. This change can come only when one show respect and maintain dignity of others. Otherwise, they lay in the illusion of being in heaven which is actually the Devils house.

(The author is a social worker.)