"Celebrity Big Brother" in Uk is in the eye of the storm for the racists remarks against Shilpa Shetty and while the middle class Indian feels the insult Shilpa is made to say in front of a camera that everything is fine "inside the house". And on various television channels our own celebrities say its nothing worth the hallabaloo if a fellow Indian is called a "dog" and a "Paki". Our celebrities like Suhel Seth and Vinod mehta should not be given the right to represent the sentiment of the mature Indian because they seem to have lost their own maturity. mehta was comparing Shilpa's incident to the unnecessary publicity the Bachchans got recently...how can mr.mehta equate national pride to a trivial piece of news ? Do the Suhel Seths of India value their glass of wine more than patriotism ?
I'm sorry to see so-called responsible Indians boot-licking the West...these are the kind of people who do everything to please the "Goras"...they are in awe of their "white masters". It is important for the common Indian to realise how spineless our representatives are. We had heard about Celebrity Big Brother when Big Boss started in India and when the news of Shilpa Shetty being on CBB came it was interesting in a way. I'm happy the way Shilpa is carrying herself there and wish her luck...most of the celebrities on the CBB may be jealous of Shilpa's looks and famiy ties because none of them are not blessed with even half of what Shilpa (and the average Indian) has.
I was shocked to see the art of minimising Indians practice, there was clear racism, no doubt, 'don't know where these hands have been'. 'papaddom', 'go live in slums', 'shit' , besides copying her accent and tone, what else do you think this is, if it is not racism? Indians have beend divided in history, and are still divided, have been made slaves in the past, by 'divide and rule' tactics, there is no change in the division still and it is easy to divide Indians by any third individual. This is not the time for introspect and being proud of our high tolerance, it is the time to unite and voice out recognition and respect to the biggest democracy in the world. Stop hating eachother, love and respect eachother so that everyone else respects us. Id shetty sues, and she should, she might get alot of financial compensation though money can not replace damage done by insult, but still it helps.
RE:NOT ACCEPTABLE
by hrishikesh jahagirdar on Jan 20, 2007 10:31 PM
Very true my dear friend, We Indians have forgotten the name of the great man called "Gandhi", what he wanted was not to evict the physical slavery from the Brits but also the mental slavery which unfortunately is still going in the white countries. And I see it everyday.
Im not convinced this is racially motivated but more a question of brains and culture vs no brains and no culture. I suspect if it was a cultured English person vs 3 uneducated Indians you might get a similar scenario. Unfortunately the 3 Brit girls are all examples of jumped-up British low life, and would probably be equally bitchy to a white person of superior breeding. I just dont think they're bright enough to understand the cultural differences, and maybe what they dont understand threatens them so they react against it. Plus Shilpa is infinitely more beautiful than all of them. I'm white British and think Jade is low-life and ignorant but have seen worse insults traded between fellow white Brits...So, please dont turn this into a racial issue when its really just an ignorance issue.
RE:cultured vs uncultured
by UmaShankar SathyaKumar on Jan 20, 2007 10:24 PM
Mera Dost (My Friens),
Whatever you have mentioned is all the chemicals that are required to create a reaction called 'Racism'. No excuses. If you say that we should take it as bullying, What is bullying? It is nothing but arrogantly, ignorantly abusing the oppsite minority. There is very very thin live that seperates bullying and racism. Many times they are twins.
RE:cultured vs uncultured
by on Jan 20, 2007 10:04 PM
you should start giving student loans on low interest to educate people, Gody is worth 8 million pounds dude? If you have understood and believe that Indians are comparable as dogs and it is ok to make fun of their accent on national(now international) TV then you should do some deep introspection, you are definitely wrong and are confused. Truth is some Indians hate being Indian and they feel every one thinks like that. Have you every noticed how chinese and Africans help people who come fresh from back home(c.f. FOB for Indians) and how 2nd and later genrations speak native languages in those commmunities?
The timing just couldn%u2019t have been better than this. I have been watching the %u2018Celebrity Big brother%u2019 reality show on Channel4. I believe that I am civilised enough to write this article. After watching the show and reading series of articles in the British and worldwide media on the housemates Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd (a disgraced former Miss Great Britain who had a saucy fling and bling with one of the contest judges in order to win her crown!!!!)and Jo O%u2019Meara, I feel that the world is coming into terms of what%u2019s is actually going within the British society. The three girls have had ganged up against fellow housemate Shilpa Shetty and made fun of her English accent, origin, nationality, were not prepared to call her by name, were reluctant to eat the roast chicken cooked by her, described her a %u201CPaki%u201D, the disgraced Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd even called her a 'Dog', used %u2018very filthy%u2019 language repeatedly in their conversation, and even asked her to %u2018Go back to the slums and find out what real life is%u2019. If this is not racially motivated abuse, define what is %u2018racism%u2019? If you say all this is nothing but just bullying, go and watch the recorded show in YouTube.com and come back to read this article.
Understandably, the feelings and emotions are now running high on all corners. The British media regulator ofCom and Channel4, which broadcast the show, had received more than 55,000 complaints from the public in just four days!! This issue heads in all local newspapers, news websites, blogs and posts. Tony Blair was forced to comment on this row. The next British prime minister-in-waiting Mr.Gordon Brown is having tough time in India!!! I believe that Indian Prime Minister Mr.Manmohan Singh and Indian President Mr.Abdul Kalam are the only people left to comment on this issue!!!
As I live in the United Kingdom, I would like to see it in two mirrors. Keep aside the many %u2018Non-Racist British%u2019 in Britain. I respect them, as I am fortunate enough to have few of them as my friends, who understand that the colour of our blood is always going to be red but the colour of our skin is unfortunately not. (We usually blame it all on God%u2019s politics!!!)
I am not surprised at all on this wildfire racial row. The three Big Brother gang girls are drop of the today%u2019s British society and surely reflect the new generation of future Britain. The Big Brother house is actually a small portrait of today%u2019s modern Britain. Don%u2019t mistake me? In a large portrait, this is how the great British society will exactly look like in next 50 years time. I mark my words. The abuse and racial comments on Shilpa do 1,100% truly reflect the British and European societies attitude on racism especially on all non-whites. There are many Asians and Indians working and living in Britain such as students, doctors, nurses, taxi drivers, school teachers, corner shop owners, call centre personnel and community police officers, who go through more or less same kind of racially motivated verbal abuse everyday. I swear on my words. I am not exaggerating it. I had gone through the same sort of abuse before and still go through it now and then. I have been called %u2018Indian%u2019 on many occasions in a tone, which is definitely not polite and friendly way that anyone would like to be called upon. I have to digest it without any choice. Once, I have made enough money to live without having to work for rest of my life, I will fly back to India for good from this arrogant, ignorant, economically, ethically and culturally failing western society.
I am not surprised to hear the girl gang%u2019s abusive language. Certainly you could hear them from groups of young boys and girls on British streets. Well%u2026What else would you expect from boys and girls of today%u2019s British society, where 13 years old lads and girls smoke, drink and use drugs, losing virginity at the age of 14 is just a matter of self-pride, having babies at the age of 15 is OK and becoming common, the average life span of a formal marriage is just over 16 months, many live together unmarried, many don%u2019t know who is their mother or father is and divorce rate is 40% higher than any European union country. The reality show indeed reflects the reality of British youth%u2019s attitude towards their society and living. The young British generation is not well educated, they distance themselves from Maths, Science, and general knowledge subjects, they are very proud of binge drinking, sex on the streets and desperate housewives culture, (a Popular TV serial. Ironically, it is being broadcasted right after %u2018Big Brother%u2019 show in Channel4) honking the car horns and yelling racist remarks on Asians. They are ignorant souls and sadly the face of future British society. Who is going to teach them about racial tolerance and respecting people as humans? Their stupid British prime minister is very busy in saying %u2018YES%u2019 five billion times a day to the arrogant American president on bringing back democracy and peace in Iraq and Afghanistan!!! In this nation, some think that waging war on a country is just like playing a video game in play station. It is OK to think like that in this so called developed country with underdeveloped people. Many British do have big attitude disorder and do think that the rest of the world is still ruled by their great grand fathers & company. They still do believe that the Sun will never ever set on their kingdom. What else I can say? The British public is not aware of what is happening within their country and in rest of the world. They don%u2019t care about globalisation, necessity to learn new skills, acquire knowledge, and stay competitive. All they know is to eat, to do binge drinking on 24 hour pubs (Yes. 24 hour pubs!!), to be illiterate (I bet many can%u2019t read and write English properly) and claim free government benefits to go on holiday abroad.
I could sense their fear of failure in the very near future. Because, today%u2019s Britain is steadily losing it%u2019s own ground. The British public and politicians do think that the non-Europeans are culturally and economically invading all corners of Britain. That%u2019s why there is soo much visa restrictions, delay in issuing visas, and recent %u2018motivated%u2019 HSMP revision to keep the %u2018Indians%u2019, %u2018Paki%u2019 and %u2018Browns%u2019 away from British shores. The British are getting jealous of dominant Asian minority. There is a reason. Let me explain it a bit. Today%u2019s great British politics, lifestyle, business, economy and national cuisine (Chicken Tikka Masala is the national dish of Britain since 2000!) are being greatly influenced by Asian society. A remarkable feat that the Scottish, Irish and Welsh trio couldn%u2019t able to do for several centuries and had totally failed. The British are losing their obsessed identity in today%u2019s multicultural Britain. Because, the British are not sensitive to accept and easily adapt other cultures into their lives. Whereas, Asians are far more broadminded, tolerant, patient when it comes to living in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society such as Britain. Though Asians didn%u2019t integrate 100% into the British society, I would say they are well on their way towards it or realising the necessity to do it. Because, Asians are educated, intelligent, beautiful in heart, hard working and above all economically stronger than ever before. What else? If the first wave of Asian migrants helped to revive the shops on Britain's streets, the second and third generation of Asians are now making their mark on the financial and business world. Now, India is the third largest investor in Britain next only to US and Japan. Indian companies are taking over many not-so-profitable British companies and turning them into profitable. Steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal has pledged %uFFFD2million pounds to the cash-strapped ruling Labour party, almost certainly bailing it out of financial crisis. I wish he could buy the labour party as he does with the run down steel plants abroad!! Remember richest citizen of United Kingdom is not a native British but India born Lakshmi Mittal. There is a list of endless contributions made by the Asians to today%u2019s modern Britain. It is just impossible to blindly ignore the imposing stature of Asians and Asianism in Britain. However, even the Asians born and brought up in Britain are being called as %u2018British Indian%u2019, %u2018British Sikh%u2019 and %u2018British Muslim%u2019. Do Asians deserve it? How sick these race tags are? We don%u2019t call any one in India as %u2018Indian Punjabi%u2019, %u2018Indian Tamil%u2019 or %u2018Indian Sikh%u2019. Without Asians, the British public services and healthcare will crumble in matter of days. Without Asians, the British economy will not survive for more than a month. But, are the Asians being treated well in Britain? Not with a broad mind, but with very clear purpose to use their skills and knowledge. So, I am prepared to put a bet that before the end of this 21st century, Britain will have an Asian Prime Minister. I am not joking.
On the other side, this whole issue raises the same questions about our own society. Are we Indians really not racists? Is it OK and justified to racially discriminate fellow Indians? But, it becomes an issue when Non-Asians dish it out on us? We actually don%u2019t respect fellow Indians in India and abroad. Don%u2019t we? We have got several racial problems within our country and society. Don%u2019t we all know that North Indians bully and discriminate the South Indians as %u2018Madarasis%u2019. South Indians bully the North Indians by calling them as %u2018Biharis%u2019. We are the largest racist society on this earth, which practised and still practising all forms of racism, discrimination and bullying in the name of god, caste and culture. We are talking about it for more than 100 years. Nothing has been changed significantly. When are we going to change it?
One of India's strengths is its ability to accept and adapt diversity of culture. That%u2019s what India is all about. It is indeed a very quite remarkable for a country like India, where the majority of the population is Hindu. But, our current president is a Muslim, the prime minister is a Sikh and probably the most influential lady in India is sari wearing Italian born Catholic. I cannot think of any other country in the world that could accept such a diversified political scenario. This is truly remarkable and it works very well in India. Whereas, in the US, the Americans still waiting to have a Black or Hispanic as American president and the US has been a democratic country for more than 200 years. Whereas India%u2019s democracy gained it%u2019s status just 60 years ago. We have already had several minorities as presidents, prime ministers, chief ministers, ministers, military chief of staff, and Supreme Court judges. This is the great strength that India has. We are humans first, then Indians, then Punjabi, Gujarathi, Bengali, or Madarasi. Forget about race, religion and skin colour. So, It is time for us to do some reality test on ourselves. It is time for us to accept that we are really racists and do something about it. When we are going to announce that racism and discrimination in any form, any size is a punishable crime and has no place in civilised India? We can. Let us do it now before it is too late.
Our world will become a happy place to live when we love each other in heart and without discriminating anyone by their race, ethnicity, religion, faith, and wealth. Let's grow up. When we are going to be one big loud and proud Indians? It is shame on us if we can%u2019t do it. Share your views.
RE:SHILPA & BIG CELEBRITY RACISM
by Governor General on Jan 20, 2007 09:31 PM
Can't say any better than this. I was surprised by any half-baked responses from many rediff readers who were commenting to the tune that we have to ignore what happened to Shilpa because she is an actress. As has been rightly pointed out it is not about Shilpa.. it is the wider racial problem that we are criticizing here.
RE:Shilpa
by Governor General on Jan 20, 2007 09:32 PM
It's not Shilpa and not even about Jade Goody. It's about what Indians have to face in the racist British society.
RE:Great Actress
by Governor General on Jan 20, 2007 09:33 PM
Did you watch the show? Have you lived in the UK? Do you know what we are discussing here?
RE:Great Actress
by on Jan 20, 2007 09:54 PM
ever thought India is the biggest Democracy? and it has not been hundred years since we were slaves due to divide and rule?
Shilpa Shetty with her large crocodile tears managed to sway the indian and international audience by doing the drama that she has been racially abused and then she said she was not abused, she has completely used her bollywood acting skills to the complete core. Hats off to her for she is getting undeserved attention and money.
RE:Shilpa succeded
by Allan Samuel on Jan 20, 2007 09:13 PM
You are needlessly reducing crucial issues to mere idiosyncracies of an individual. These issues are vital to the ones who are in contexts very different from yours.
RE:Shilpa succeded
by Governor General on Jan 20, 2007 08:54 PM
So you think millions of people who saw the program and thought she was racially abused as stupid and you are smart. And you think even the current PM and would be future PM of Britain were fooled by Shilpa's acting. They are all stupid and you are smart. And you also think Jade Goody appoligized without any reason and because of the acting skills of Shilpa. Jade is stupid and you are smart.
RE:Racism
by khaleel ahmed on Jan 20, 2007 08:44 PM
mr Sharma, i believe should understand the difference between prefering a beautiful girl and some one calling an Indian Dog. U are comparing totally diff. things, . So it's weird to say i want a fair complexion girl, is racism.
RE:Racism
by Governor General on Jan 20, 2007 08:25 PM
No it is not Vivek. It's called personal preference. You are not discriminated against anything that you are entitled for if a girl wants a guy fairer than you. Go the any online dictionary and read the definition of Racism.
Pakistan has two types of strategies in Kashmir. One is terrorism (LET, Hizb funding) and a political face to that in the valley is given by people like Gheelani. They are used to annex Kashmir to Pakistan. Second strategy is to fund and create people who will not kill and bomb Kashmir but create emotional turmoil albeit within valley. This is used to directly recruit rational people and brainwash them to ask for Kashmiri independence from both India and Pakistan.
Both the strategies work in tandem,
1. To hoodwink the western countries to show that there is a Kashmiri freedom movement in India supported by common people, when in reality people want to get on with their lives and happy with India. 2. Use Moderate faction as a stepping stone for Terrorists faction. A person will first be brainwashed at moderate faction and then he will fed with all the stories to recruit in him into Hizb or LET. 3. If certain personalities overgrow themselves in the so called moderate faction, terrorists will be used to eliminate them and the blame will be put on our Government. 4. Since by design the artificially created moderate faction are not supposed to kill people, Indian government allows them to operate openly. This is used by Pakistani Rulers to hoodwink Pakistani population to show that there is a genuine Kashmiri uprising in our J&K. This is needed for retaining the hostilities with India.
This is the actual reality of Pakistani Kashmir strategy. Don't believe if Mirwaiz or "who was it?" says they don't recommend armed struggle. Ask Salahudin and he will say.. they reject peace talks. Both are asked to say so by ISI to continue their Kashmir program.
Jade Goody episode is just a symptom of the racial malaise in British society. In western societies there is a nurturing of distinct lack of sensitivity among individuals. This they have wrongly assumed as honesty. Honesty never means that a person can talk whatever comes to his mind. Goody may have all along spoken her mind, apparently out of spotlight. But then this time she also chose to speak the same infront of international audiences. Which has created the problem for her. British lack a sophistication in their behavior and culture. They lack tolerance in the true meaning of the word. Their promotion of multicultural nation is purely for the economical purpose. It has no racial co-existence motive. Surely western countries need to learn a lot from Asian civilization. If they don't do it then we might have to force them to learn.. though it might turn out to be a brown man's burden.
