Sunil Chhetri Target Of Racist Comment During Live Chat With Virat Kohli

11:35 AM

•

Sunil Chhetri

Instagram user targeted India's football team captain Sunil Chhetri with a racist comment during his Instagram live chat with India cricket team skipper Virat Kohli. "Ye Nepali kon h (who is this Nepali)," an Instagram user by with the handle "yasharma.official" commented during the interaction between two of the country's sporting icons. A Twitter user shared a screenshot of the Instagram live chat with the comment and condemned the racist attitude towards people from the North-East, specifying the derogatory words that are frequently used for them in some other parts of India.

India is one of the most racist country.
The Indian football captain is called Nepali can only imagine the plight of North East people here. People not knowing Chhetri is still fine. But society has sort of normalised chinki, Nepali etc towards them.
It's shameful. pic.twitter.com/m8v14kOrTu — Abhinav kaka (@kabhinav08) May 18, 2020

"The Indian football captain is called Nepali can only imagine the plight of North East people here," the user wrote

People not knowing Chhetri is still fine. But society has sort of normalised chinki, Nepali etc towards them," he wrote, before adding "It's shameful."

Twitter users were enraged by the comment, with one user writing that the user who made the distasteful remark has been reported. "Nobody undermines Sunil Chhetri," he added.

The Instagram user's handle has been deactivated.

"Absolutely pathetic," one Twitter user commented.

Kids should be educated about diversity among people and culture. North East is just mentioned. It deserves much more attention than that. There is a lack of awareness. Sadly we know very little about the North East of our own country," wrote another user.

Sunil Chhetri has established himself as a legend in Indian football. He is India's highest-ever goal-scorer, with 72 strikes for the country.

ndtv

READ MORE

PIL To Prevent Discrimination Against Indian Gorkhas [Read Petition]

9:01 PM

•

racism

Shedding light on stereotypes attached to people from the North-East and propagation via popular media, a PIL has been filed seeking the Supreme Court’s immediate intervention to check discrimination against the Indian Gorkha community.

The PIL sought measures to prevent anyone from making any derogatory, discriminatory, racist and stereotypical remarks, either through social media or through any other means, portraying them entirely as security guards or chaukidars and giving them names like ‘Bahadur’ ,‘OOO Sabji’ and many other names associated with it.

The PIL also challenged a recent advertisement by Flipkart, an online shopping company, for its alleged mockery of the Gorkha community, and for stereotyping the whole community as being chowkidars with ‘overly-exaggerated and highly offensive Hindi accent’.

The petitioners stated that the advertisement ‘has gravely humiliated, defamed, defiled, denigrated and tarnished the honour and sentiments of the Indian Gorkha community’.

They sought a complete ban on the stated advertisement or direction to ban on the use of the traditional Gorkha “topi” and weapon like ‘khukuri’, which is the biggest religious and cultural symbol for portraying any person as watchman in any public platform like in movies and advertisements for the purpose of entertainment.

Order or direction of making an apology in public forums like newspapers and televisions by the company was sought. They prayed that use of words like “Bahadur” and “Sabji” in public domain be banned.

They also claimed that the Indian cinema is the biggest culprit, which portrayed Nepalese/Gorkhali as either the Khukuri- wielding Gorkha soldiers or the Baton-wielding guards.

‘Indian cinema creates a largely imaginary picture of witless Gorkha, used as a prop to evoke humour.’ They expressed ire at attributing two words ‘Memsaab’ and ‘Sahabzee’ to the community.

The PIL claimed that all this discrimination was infringement of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. It highlighted violation of right to equality and right against discrimination. It stated, ‘Such discrimination has lowered the self esteem of the community making them a subject of ridicule in the eyes of the other communities that eventually discriminate them as “Bahadurs”. This case is same as calling people Untouchables and Sudras. If practicing Untouchability is violation of Article 15, then calling a person Bahadur and wearing the communities’ spiritual topi and weapon and making them part of a security guard’s uniform and degrading their respect and honour is also discrimination.’

The petitioners claimed that there is a serious threat to Article 21 of the Constitution as Article 21 guarantees the right to life of every citizen in a dignified manner. Several Sections of the IPC, including Section 295, 295A and 499, were alleged to have been violated, calling strict action.

‘One of the salient reasons for the present writ petition is the increase in the propaganda of racial stereotype against the Indian-Gorkha community people infringing on their fundamental right to live a dignified life and also discriminating the community by stereotyping them in a humiliating and derogatory manner by defaming the entire Indian-Gorkha community at large,’ the PIL stated.

The petitioners expressed regret over the highly internalised bias against the community that goes way beyond the confines of media. They highlighted the sad state of affairs exist despite display of courage and sacrifices made for the nation and sought immediate steps in the direction.

Read the full Petition Here
Source: livelaw

READ MORE

Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia stands against Discrimination against Nepali Language

8:32 AM

•

West Bengal

Darjeeling Once again we are most thankful to Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia who has stepped up to protect the Nepali language. Following report on social media (The Darjeeling Chronicle) MP wrote to Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu reminding him that not putting up signs in Nepali language is a violation of the Language Policy of India as well as a discrimination against the Gorkha community.

Here is the full text of the letter that our MP wrote

To 
Shri. Suresh Prabhu
Minister of Railway
Government of India

Re: Discrimination Against Nepali Language and the people of Darjeeling

Suresh ji
I want to draw your attention to the fact that the signboards that Indian Railways has put up in my Constituency – Darjeeling – has continued to violate the Language Policy of India since 2011.

The standard official language policy of the Government of India clearly specifies that, importance to be given to official State Language (only those which are also included in the VIIIth Schedule of Constitution)/regional/national languages, signboards of Railway stations in regional language, use of language on Railway Information Boards, naming of Railway stations in regional languages etc.”

Nepali was recognised initially in 1961 as an official language of West Bengal, and on 22/8/1992 as one of the Official Languages of India under the VIIIth Schedule of Indian Constitution as one of the 22 National Languages of India. Nepali is also the 1st official language for Darjeeling and Dooars region in West Bengal. DHR is still discriminated against and not featured in any of the sign boards put up by Indian Railways in Darjeeling. Not putting Nepali in these sign boards is not only a violation of the language policy of India, but also is disrespectful towards the Nepali language and also the Gorkhali community of my constituency. What is more hurtful to my constituents is the fact that Bengali which 99% of the population do not speak or read, is used as the 1st language.

On behalf of my constituents, I request you to kindly instruct the local administrative unit of Indian Railways to remove the signs that do not feature Nepali language and to put up signs in Nepali which is a Recognised regional language in Darjeeling and Dooars as well as one of the National Languages of India.

I look forward to your prompt action.
Kindest regards

SS Ahluwalia
MP, Darjeeling.

Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia Writes to Railway Minister - Demands Signs to be Written in NEPALI

Rule 3A of the Bengal Official Language Act, 1961 also specifically states
3A. Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3, with effect from such date-1 as the Slate Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf, the Nepali language may, in addition to the Bengali language be used for such— (a) rules, regulations and by-laws made by the State Government under the Constitution of India or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of West Bengal, and (b) notifications or orders issued by the Slate Government under the Constitution of lndia or under any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of West Bengal, as apply to the three hill subdivisions of the district of Darjeeling, namely, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong:

Provided that different dates may be appointed in respect of different matters referred to in clause (a) or (b). .

Explanation.—For the purposes of section 3 and this section the words "law made by Parliament or the Legislature of West Bengal" shall include any law made before or after the commencement of the Constitution of India by any legislature or other competent authority in the territory of India having power to make such a law.

Given this, we request the West Bengal government and all other administrative bodies to put up all the signs and instructions in NEPALI at the top.

Once again, we are grateful to our MP for stepping up to protect the dignity of Nepali language and Nepali speaking people... It is sad that none of our "intellectuals" and "sahityakkars" have so far bothered to highlight this issue.



Via The Darjeeling Chronicle

READ MORE

Hill CPI(M) Points Out Bengal Discrimination in Ration Distribution

10:47 AM

•

West Bengal

The Hill CPI(M) team yesterday led by Mr. Tara Sundas paraded evidences of deliberate discrimination by the Bengal government against the hill people.

Highlighting the discrimination, Mr. Sundas said "while the victims of calamity in Singur are given 8kgs of ration every week, the victims of Aila in Darjeeling continue to get only 11kgs of ration every month... how or why is our suffering any different than the suffering of the people in the plains? why is it that the hill people are not given equal ration, despite the fact that the same order is applicable in Singur and Darjeeling hills?"

Mr. Sundas further said, "On 20th March 2014 the Central govt decided to distribute ration at the lowest rate to 6.20 crore people, yet the people in Darjeeling who are on the verge of starvation have never benefited from this low cost ration... so where are the ration going? Why is Bengal govt depriving the hill community, despite the central government passing the order?"

Ration in hills distributed from sacks and Ration in Siliguri handed out in proper packages

Mr. Sundas also showed that in Siliguri ration is handed out in packets, which makes it clean and safe... where as in the hills the ration is still handed out from the sacks, which makes the ration go bad very soon. He added that often rotten ration is distributed in the hills.

CPI(M) has threatened a widespread protest if the hill people continue to be discriminated against.


Via TheDC

READ MORE