Painted in black: From VK Singh to Parrikar, ministers need to check themselves for racism

India today stands at crossroads. While half of the country’s ministers embark on journeys to far off nations in pursuance of relationship building, the nation bears witness to the other half who openly indulge in racism with their insensitive remarks. As India reels under the recent spate of attacks on African nationals, one would expect nation’s leaders to stand in solidarity and condemn such attacks. However, what is happening is a little different from the imagined ideal scenario. Sample these ministers: Even as Sushma Swaraj geared up for damage control after the murder of the Congolese national in Delhi, and similar attacks on African nationals in the capital, Union Minister VK Singh, dismissed the attacks and called them ‘minor scuffles’ and blamed the media for blowing things out of proportion.

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at a Make in India initiative held in June 2015, in Delhi, told the media and others present how “Chinese” were invading the Indian market.

Chief Minister of Goa Laxmikant Parserekar had this to say when he was asked about racist attacks on Africans in the country.

Dayanand Mandrekar, minister of arts and culture in Goa had this wonderful insight about Nigerians.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who made headlines when he told all those who were opposed to Narendra Modi as the PM candidate in 2014, to go to Pakistan, said this very sophisticated thing about Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

It’s Parsekar again! The minister rather than focusing on the issue at hand, chose to address the marital prospects of the nurses.

While the Centre countinued its efforts of placating African nationals, Goa tourism minister Dilip Parulekar said something that made MEA Sushma Swaraj’s life a little more miserable.

Following the arrest of a Nigerian national from Calangute beach in Goa, BJP legislator Subhash Phaldesai compared Africans to “Wild Animals”.