New Delhi, May 29, 2016: India is serious about the safety of the African students and nationals who come to India for studies and work. After the death of a Congo national Masunda Oliver in a road rage case, the attack on a Nigerian student had come to light yesterday prompting Indian government to come out fire-fighting on this front.
Today MoS V.K. Singh held meetings with village elders in the Chattarpur where the African community lives in big numbers but is now too scared. Delhi government has also arrested 5 people in the connecting cases of violence.
Sensitising communities. MoS @Gen_VKSingh & @CPDelhi w/ village members in Chattarpur pic.twitter.com/zcfFlDCvQR
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 29, 2016
The Congo national Masunda Oliver, 23, was a graduate student who had come to India in search of a better life but a few days back he was a victim of road-rage when he ran into an argument over Indian men over hiring an auto. The men beat him and then hit him with a stone killing him.
The Indian government was left red-faced when retaliation against Indians happened in Congo over the killings where miscreants attacked the Indians and their properties allegedly over this issue. Meanwhile, India has offered to assist Oliver’s family to collect his remains at its expense.
We will also arrange for his mortal remains to be transported to DR Congo at our expense.
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 29, 2016
But general V.K. Singh has questioned media’s role over the issue in scathing words and asked people to question its motives in blowing up ‘minor’ scuffles as attacks.
Why is media doing this? As responsible citizens let us question them and their motives
— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) May 29, 2016
Had detailed discussion with Delhi Police and found that media blowing up minor scuffle as attack on African nationals in Rajpur Khurd
— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) May 29, 2016
Earlier, there was a report that a Nigerian student was a victim of violence in Hyderabad.
On reports of a Nigerian student injured in Hyderabad: EAM @SushmaSwaraj has urgently sought report from State Govt, is monitoring the case
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) May 27, 2016
This prompted Sushma Swaraj to speak to the Chief Minister and look into the matter. She in any case has been in the forefront to defuse the fear of African students in the country. Here are her top quotes from her Twitter handle:
I have spoken to Shri K Chandrasekhar Rao Chief Minister Telangana regarding attack on a Nigerian student in Hyderabad. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 27, 2016
Sushma Swaraj has been on the forefront of the fire-fighting from the day one.
I have asked my colleague Gen V.K.Singh to meet the heads of missions of African countries in Delhi and assure them /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
of Indian Government's commitment to the safety and security of African nationals in India./2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
V.K. Singh may not agree, but Sushma Swaraj herself has pointed this out that African students will get all the help needed in India and was the one to highlight the case herself. She had come to the rescue as the angry African envoys had said that they would not be able ‘to attend’ the Africa Day event due to the recent demise of Masunda Oliver.
General V.K.Singh will also hold meetings with African students in metro cities to assure them of their safety and security.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
We will request State Governments to depute Commissioners of Police in all such meetings.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
We will also launch a sensitization program to reiterate that such incidents against foreign nationals embarrass the country.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
When I came to know about the unfortunate killing of a Congo national in Delhi, we directed stringent action against the culprits.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
I have already asked Lt Governor of Delhi to take steps and ensure that this case is tried by a Fast Track Court.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
Shri Najeeb Jung Lt Governor Delhi has assured me that he will take immediate action in this regard.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 25, 2016
India has always prized its association with Africa but it is also true that African students often complaint of prejudice against them as locals fear that they are unruly and into drug trade and prostitution. This misconception often acts against them and the barrier of language adds to their woes.
This fear can be best understood with the case when the AAP leader Advocate Somnath Bharti had raided a place in Delhi at the midnight, in January 2014, along with a crowd after which 9 African women had said that they were manhandled and abused. The African women said that they were so scared at the the time of the raid that they thought that they would get killed and have remained apprehensive about their security ever since.
Bharti had then said that he acted as he came to know that a sex and drug racket was going on in the locality.
In short, it is fear here and fear there and only sensitization can help both the sides.
But what is most important is to see what steps will Indian government take to help the African students and community in India.