The Daily Fix: Government needs to see attacks against Africans for what they are – naked racism

The Latest: Top stories of the day
1. India grew at 7.6% in 2015-'16. It is the highest GDP growth rate seen in five years.
2. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has ruled out sabotage as a cause for the massive fire at the central ammunition depot in Pulgaon, which has killed 20 people so far.
3. Meat allegedly found at Mohammad Akhlaq's house in the Dadri lynching case belonged to a "cow or its progeny", concludes a new lab report.

The Big Story: Calling out racism

In the week and a half since Masonda Ketanda Olivier, a teacher from the Congo, was killed in Vasant Kunj, his death has been called an "embarrassment" and "a minor scuffle". These appellations came from government, from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her junior minister, VK Singh. Now, Sushma Swaraj says the incident is regrettable but that attacks on Africans in India are "criminal acts and not racial". In the 10 days since Olivier died, racism has turned into a crime that dare not speak its name.

A rather large body of evidence would suggest that Africans in India have been targeted for the colour of their skin, that the violence inflicted on them finds its source in racial stereotypes. To begin with, Africans living in the capital speak of marauding groups that called them "black" or chanted "Africans leave our country" as they attacked. Members of the government have long participated in promoting racial stereotypes. This week, even as protests raged around the death of Olivier, Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar alleged that Nigerians "create problems" across the country and suggested a strict law to deport them. Even the media does not come through with flying colours. The Times of India recently carried a front page report on how "drunk Africans" beat up a taxi driver. It would not be a stretch to conclude that the story was covered prominently because Africans had been involved, not because a man had been beaten up.

The crimes against Africans cannot be elided into a general law and order problem. And the stereotypes about them cannot be trotted out as "hard truths" cutting through the haze of political correctness. The violence against them, both verbal and physical, needs to be called out for what it is – naked racial prejudice. That recognition needs to start with government.

The Big Scroll: Scroll.in on the day's big story
Kalpana Sharma probes how the Indian government and media have mishandled the racist attacks. Ranjit Hoskote examines Afrophobia in India.

Politicking and policying
1. In a bid to reach out to two key caste blocks in poll bound Uttar Pradesh, BJP president Amit Shah dines with Dalits in Varanasi.
2. Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot says the Scheduled Caste certificate of Rohith Vemula is still a "a matter of probe".
3. False terror cases against Muslims is a cause for concern, admits Union Minister for Law and Justice DV Sadananda Gowda.
4. Congress president Sonia Gandhi calls recent allegations against Robert Vadra a conspiracy and demands a "fair inquiry".

Punditry
1. In the Indian Express, Kancha Ilaiah on how American presidential candidate Donald Trump is learning from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
2. In the Hindu, Ajai Sangai on whether children from disadvantaged groups could benefit from "school choice".
3. In the Economic Times, Vikram Sood on what Modi needs to know about Indo-US ties before he makes his next visit to the United States.

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