The attacks on Indians in Australia are shameful and my heart goes out to those who have suffered the violence. The news of the various incidents is there on every news channel and the Indian government is pressurizing the Australian government to take quick and prompt action. In the past month, I must have watched at least 100 debates on multiple news channels about how we treat our guests with respect and how the happenings in Australia are shameful. India is creating a buzz across the globe regarding the incidents. But do we really have the right to point fingers at the Australians? Am not saying that what is happening to Indians in Australia is justified and normal. As I said in the very beginning, the incidents are indeed shameful and unfortunate. But at the same time, I also feel that we do not really have the right to point fingers at anybody.
The Aussies are pissed as we are encroaching into their country. Every year hundreds and thousands of students get into Australian universities. I am not really sure how the system works over there but my guess is that some Australians will be missing out on seats in good colleges…as now Indians are taking them. Same goes for employment opportunities. I have two friends who have moved to Australia. Like them, there would be several others. This scenario must be affecting the employment opportunities of the locals. So they are pissed….anyone would be. But does that make their actions justified? Not at all. I will again emphasize that I am not trying to justify the actions of those Australians who are behind the violent incidents in Australia. I am just saying that we do not really have a right to point fingers. And that’s because we are culprits as well.
Don’t we know about the violence in Maharashtra against North Indians (especially against people from Bihar and UP)? Don’t we know about the growing hostility towards “outsiders” in Bangalore? Don’t we know about the attacks on Bihari laborers in Assam? Don’t we know about the divide between Bengali porters and Bihari porters in Kolkata? When people in India travel to another place within India for better employment opportunities, the “locals” get hostile towards the “outsiders”. There is nothing that can be more shameful. After all, everyone has a right to look for better opportunities. What do people in states like Bihar have? The state has high population, highest poverty, highest corruption…and lowest employment opportunities. Now, if a poor Bihari goes to Maharashtra to drive a taxi or to clean the toilets, he has a right to do that. But “locals” get angry. They beat the poor Bihari and burn his taxi. Is that fair? Not at all. But we let that happen in our own country. So when a poor Indian goes to Australia to drive a taxi or to clean the toilets and gets beaten up……we should not be questioning that.
Jab kisi se koi gila rakhna,
Saamne apne aaina rakhna.
The Aussies are pissed as we are encroaching into their country. Every year hundreds and thousands of students get into Australian universities. I am not really sure how the system works over there but my guess is that some Australians will be missing out on seats in good colleges…as now Indians are taking them. Same goes for employment opportunities. I have two friends who have moved to Australia. Like them, there would be several others. This scenario must be affecting the employment opportunities of the locals. So they are pissed….anyone would be. But does that make their actions justified? Not at all. I will again emphasize that I am not trying to justify the actions of those Australians who are behind the violent incidents in Australia. I am just saying that we do not really have a right to point fingers. And that’s because we are culprits as well.
Don’t we know about the violence in Maharashtra against North Indians (especially against people from Bihar and UP)? Don’t we know about the growing hostility towards “outsiders” in Bangalore? Don’t we know about the attacks on Bihari laborers in Assam? Don’t we know about the divide between Bengali porters and Bihari porters in Kolkata? When people in India travel to another place within India for better employment opportunities, the “locals” get hostile towards the “outsiders”. There is nothing that can be more shameful. After all, everyone has a right to look for better opportunities. What do people in states like Bihar have? The state has high population, highest poverty, highest corruption…and lowest employment opportunities. Now, if a poor Bihari goes to Maharashtra to drive a taxi or to clean the toilets, he has a right to do that. But “locals” get angry. They beat the poor Bihari and burn his taxi. Is that fair? Not at all. But we let that happen in our own country. So when a poor Indian goes to Australia to drive a taxi or to clean the toilets and gets beaten up……we should not be questioning that.
Jab kisi se koi gila rakhna,
Saamne apne aaina rakhna.
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