By IBNLive.com
New Delhi: The arrest of three Nigerians in the Rahul Mahajan case for alleged drug peddling has increased the fears of Africans in India that prejudices against them will increase.
Only a few people of some African countries have been booked for drug peddling, Internet fraud and petty crimes, but the community fears that the media, the police and Indians in general have branded them as criminals.
Young Africans come to India, their land of hope and a bright future, because it offers quality and affordable education. Khaled, a PHD student at JNU and the president of the university’s foreign students union, is one such student.
Coming to India from Sudan was Khaled’s dream come true, but he feels Indians are prejudiced. “I came to India because it’s feasible but I feel the attitude of Indians is very biased. A black man will find it very difficult to get a house on rent in Delhi. A white man will get a house by paying a token of Rs 100. I will not; that’s why I prefer living on the campus,” he says.
Khaled’s friends from Sudan his are studying in universities across the country. Eihab is a management student and Mujahid, who has cut his sidelocks like Hritik Roshan, is studying IT. They agree that India offers them opportunities but say they have to suffer racial stereotypes.
“People here don’t know about Africa. They hear Nigeria and think drug peddling. This is not true and people don’t realize Africa is a huge continent with many nations,” says Mujahid.
Khaled and his friends say they have to suffer constant racism. There are taunts; there are stereotypical media images and there is suspicion from the police.
. Not that I agree with them.
