Though America has been fighting pitched battles against racism, the number of racists there has increased. The role of these racists has been very significant in handing over power to Donald Trump for which America has paid a very high price. The defeat of Trump in last year’s elections was seen as the defeat of American racists. It is true that his defeat was also a small ray of hope for the world. Ironically, India became a butt of joke when it came forward to openly support Trump who was recognized as a representative of racism. The slave mentality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government towards the whites was what led to such a pathetic stand of India. This was not accidental.
Today, those who are nurturing caste system have settled in America and are indirectly supporting racism. In addition to the export of upper caste and upper-class people, casteism that has been exploiting this country for centuries is also getting exported to the US. Recently, American officials raided a popular Hindu temple in New Jersey, the Swami Narayan temple, as it was alleged that the temple administration were harassing Dalit workers. These Dalit workers were taken to America as ‘Unskilled Religious Workers’ for emigration purposes. But they were made to work in difficult situations and under extreme physical hardship for a paltry pay of one dollar per hour. Human right activists there have urged the government to consider both caste and racial discrimination in the case. This is not a rare incident in America. Over the last one year, the State of California has been trying to curb caste-based discrimination in different organizations. According to the 2018 survey, two-third American Dalits have been treated inhumanly in their places of work due to their castes.
Caste discrimination has been the worst gift that India has given to the world. It has now spread for over half the world. The number of South Asians has increased in all the countries and are occupying high positions in countries where they have been accepted due to which they have occupied positions of power. Due to this strength, they are in a position to follow the discriminatory tendencies that they have imbibed. In Sydney, Australia, Sikhs were attacked on the streets after tension arose between local Sikhs and supporters of Sangh Parivar organizations during March last year. In America’s Silicon Valley, an American engineer of Indian origin filed a legal complaint against Apple alleging that her superiors also of Indian origin were discriminating against her as she was a South Asian woman.
Though the United Nations has reiterated several times that the prevailing caste construct is a human rights violation, many countries do not have necessary laws to take on casteism. It is difficult for foreigners to understand caste the ways Indians easily understand it. That’s the reason why many foreign organizations have failed to protect the rights of the exploited communities of Indian origin. Casteism is not as simple to comprehend as racism To understand its complexities, one has to be well versed with India’s long history. With such a background, foreign governments are very confused about how to view the caste system that is being exported from India. It is not easy to fight the caste system in a country like America. And if anyone tries to create awareness against such discrimination, it will be opposed by none other than Indian Americans. In the Indian community in America, those who belong to the upper caste are strong with deep roots. And the influence of Hindu nationalist politicians on American Indians is increasing.
Talking about caste discrimination is viewed as being humiliating. For several decades, a few saffron organizations fought to ‘cleanse’ discussions about Hindu dharma from school textbooks and to remove the references to caste system. But it is true that we as Indians are pained that casteism is affecting the image of Indian engineers who are responsible for building the Silicon Valley. American educated elites are proving that the lack of education is not responsible for prevalence of caste mentality. But it is possible that the American administration takes a serious view of the discrimination against lower castes that takes place in several Indian engineering colleges whose engineering graduates aspire to settle in America. At the same time, America should help the world by coming up with new human rights guidelines that seek to stop caste discrimination from taking roots in its land.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
