When the Aussies lodged a complaint against Harbhajan Singh for allegedly uttering racial abuses, it was out of pure vengeance rather than factual evidence. But what happens when people really make fun of someone’s place of birth, caste, and even colour?

Living in India, we cannot shy away from such occurrences. Prejudices seem to have somehow crept into our culture. How we crack jokes at Punjabis, make fun of the English accent of Bengalis and frustrate Malayalis (Mallus, we call them!) with snide remarks. Yes, you know what we are talking about? Don’t say, “Ohhh…. There she goes, again, with the racial thing!” Ask yourself, does racism exist? You bet it does!

Truth be told, we are as racial as Australians, British or even post-9/11 Americans. And sometimes even more — making fun of and often even disrespecting an individual because of his/her caste. What explains our parents searching for that brides or grooms from the same caste and similar backgrounds? Natural selection or just ruthless discrimination? (Mind you, we don’t usually blame skin colour. That is still a weakness. Fair is considered beautiful while dark is considered ‘Godly’.)

The most shocking thing happened three days ago. More so because my dear colleague Ramesh was involved. No, Ramesh was not abused; indeed, he was the one who did all the damage! Unhappy with a new intern, Ramesh made an offhand remark. Not being able to understand a particular accounting method, 22-year-old Navin was lambasted just because he hailed from Bihar.

I heard the squabbling and entered the room to sort things out. The moment I stepped in, I heard those dreadful words from Ramesh. “You fool…why are all people from your State similar!” There was silence in the room. Just before Ramesh could go for the jugular, I stepped in.

There was my friend, a top executive in the company and one of the best colleagues you could hope to have, calling people names! No, I am not particularly fond of Bihar, neither have I visited that State. But at that moment, it seemed it was the worst place in the entire civilised world.

I could not resist it any longer. It only seemed prudent. Slanging matches at workplaces can be tolerated, even sly remarks can be ignored but this cannot be allowed to happen. “How can you blame someone based on where they come from?” I asked. Ramesh looked puzzled.

Ramesh: Swati, it’s not what it sounds like.

Me: What is it then? You are as racist as those in the news now.

Ramesh (trying to close the subject): I was trying to explain to Navin about his mistakes. He won’t accept his faults and on top of that he is arguing…

Me: That’s why you brand all Biharis as incompetent? You should be ashamed of yourself…Understood Navin has made a mistake, but does that mean you can abuse him like that? And of all people you?

Navin (quietly): Sorry, madam, but I didn’t mind. Ramesh sir can say anything, I didn’t realise my fault. It’s okay…

Me: Is Ramesh doing you a favour by talking to you? Are you his slave as to accept anything he says? Don’t you respect your home, your State and the dignity of the people who live there?

Ramesh: Swati, you are just blowing things out of proportion. It wasn’t anything racial. It was said in the heat of the moment. Okay, if you want me to say so, I am sorry. Happy?

I wasn’t. That’s the last I heard from Ramesh ever since that day. I stormed out of the room and went straight up to our company secretary. I formally lodged a complaint. As I write this article, I am wondering about a lot of things.

Somewhere deep below our plastic faces and emotions, lies a brute nature. Anger helps it achieve fuller form. Maybe insecurity, jealousy, weakness or plain evil contribute to outbursts. Unable to find any words to express ourselves, most of us hurl expletives. It’s common to hear people blaming an individual’s country, colour of skin or profession while taking him/her down in the West. In India, we have bettered it.

Like the mythical cobra that remembers its killer, we spew venom at anybody remotely related to unsavoury moments that might have happened in our own life. Some imbibe it from society, some from elders and the rest from their surroundings. At the bottom of the heap, as they say, is disrespect. Ironic, but we were slaves for 300 years. Slavery ought to have taught us to respect an individual no matter what.

People like Ramesh often go scot-free in a society where it is ‘normal’ to sneer at someone with slants aimed at his/her domicile. “Everybody does it. Why are you taking it personally?” was the honest reply of my colleague Nitu, when told about the incident.

Can a person’s domicile be targeted? That was a no-brainer. But isn’t that what people like you and me sometimes do? A quarrel can happen anywhere but does that mean we have to insult? “You don’t know Biharis, Swati. Look what has happened to their State,” remarked my close friend and neighbour Sudhir Swamy. I was aghast. Biharis are everywhere. Be it in Civil Services, as accountants, businessmen… and what not!

Now for another terrible story. Ronen Das joined our Kolkata branch in 2004. A year ago he came to Chennai to attend a sales meet. I heard a few colleagues making fun of his accent and calling him ‘Babumoshai’ whenever he protested. They were having their share of fun while remaining impervious to his sensitivities. It’s very sad. But Ronen didn’t give up, Bengalis hardly do.

At a merger meet of two subsidiaries last November, Ronen came up to Murthy (the chief architect of the stupid jokes played on Ronen in Chennai) and asked him on the microphone.

“What’s the next letter after L Murthy?” Yum (phonetically M), Murthy answered. Murthy later told us that the whole meet broke into ripples of laughter. Ronen bet Rs 10,000 bucks with his team mates that ‘Yum’ would come out instead of ‘M’.

He also said, “People who have bad pronunciation should not even attempt to find fault with others.” Revenge may have been sweeter. Be it Ronens or Murthys, they are all hypocrites. Everybody tries to pay back in the same coin, forgetting that they start off a chain. That chain has no end.

An individual is an individual. What’s race got to do with it? Some rabid nationalists link the origin of their country to their supposed lack of courtesy.

Are we any better? It’s time to look into ourselves first. India is diverse but perhaps we sometimes stretch the limits too far. We would convince our children to “judge a person by his/her actions and not by anything else”, yet remain outside the very rule we set ourselves seconds ago.

Ramesh and I haven’t talked in the last three days. It will take some time for us patch up. Maybe it will never be the same. The point is we can do only so much. Complain and show people what to do. Then, stand by our words in action.

If this situation sounds familiar, then readers may send me their comments at swatilistening@gmail.com

P.S. — It was pointed out that in the last issue I had erroneously mentioned Tata Motors MD Ravi Kant as Krishna Kant. The error is regretted.

Responses to Episode-174 on the issue: ‘A new car, a new way’ (Business Line, January 14, 2008).

Volumes have been written about the Nano in the past week. Greatly to be admired and appreciated is that the Tatas could keep their promise of making a Rs 1 lakh car for the masses. It is to the credit of Team Tata that it could do so without making any major compromises.

Nano will meet the aspirations of the so-called bottom of the pyramid and help them graduate from scooters/motorcycles to safer cars.

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