New Delhi: Under severe pressure from the fallout of the barbaric attack on a young Tanzanian woman by a mob in Bengaluru in which she was allegedly beaten up and stripped, the Narendra Modi government, which has condemned the incident, sought and received a report from the Karnataka government on the incident on Thursday and decided to dispatch a team of senior external affairs ministry officials to Bengaluru on Friday, that will include the Tanzanian high commissioner to India. Sources said the Centre was unhappy with the initial explanation of the Karnataka government and told it clearly that stringent action should be taken to prevent fear and panic from spreading among African students in India.
Indicating how seriously the Centre was taking the matter, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj held a high-level meeting on Thursday to discuss all aspects. Anxious to avoid panic, the MEA said it was an “isolated” incident but added India had “assured its African friends” strong legal action would be taken, including stringent action against the culprits responsible. Tanzania also urged India to reinforce security in localities where African students live. The Africans are reportedly of the view that it was definitely a racist attack.
Voicing concern, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi sought a report from the Congress-run state government immediately. “Rahul Gandhi asks Karnataka Government to explain and send report immediately,” Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said in a series of tweets. “Strongly condemn incident with Tanzanian lady in Bangalore. Police must act strongly against the culprits,” Mr Singh, who is in-charge of Karnataka affairs, said.
In New Delhi, Tanzanian high commissioner John W.H. Kijazi reportedly said he had sent a complaint to the government and sought prompt action against those behind the “unfortunate” incident. He urged the government to reinforce security in localities where African students live. “We request the Government of India to ensure the safety and security of our students in Bengaluru and all other places in India,” he was quoted by news agencies as saying. He was also quoted by TV channels as saying such incidents should not happen in the 21st century.
Condemning the incident, MoS home Kiren Rijiju urged all Indians to remember their colonial past and become sensitive about racial discrimination. He said it was a serious issue and there was “no question” of defending it.
The MEA has received a report from the Bengaluru police commissioner after Ms Swaraj took up the matter with the Karnataka government. The Congress-ruled Karnataka government had apparently argued the incident took place after a road accident and the situation got out of hand, that resulted in a “chain reaction”. The Karnataka government told the Centre the police complaint was filed only two days after the incident, but MEA sources said this may have happened as the young Tanzanian woman was obviously traumatised by the incident. The Karnataka government also said five people had been arrested so far.
With the Modi government hosting a successful India-Africa Forum Summit just two months back in New Delhi, the government is wary of facing the combined fury of all African nations if it fails to act swiftly. Incidentally, the Tanzanian high commissioner is also the dean of the African diplomatic corps in India. The MEA also said the purpose of the Central team’s visit to Bengaluru on Friday was to reassure African students and other Africans living in the country. Over 5,000 Africans are studying in India.
The BJP targeted the Congress for its “hypocrisy” in not initiating action against the culprits in Bengaluru swiftly, and also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s “silence” over the matter (a few hours before Mr Gandhi issued a statement). The party accused the Congress government in Karnataka of covering up the incident and said its “inaction” had brought disrepute to Bengaluru. It demanded immediate action, including the transfer of the DGP and suspension of police officers involved.
Refusing to comment on speculation whether it was a racist attack or not, Mr Kiren Rijiju said the police was probing the matter and the government had taken serious note. “Whenever such an incident happens, the first thing to do is condemn the attack, not defend it. Whether racist attack or not, whether stripped or not, these are matters to be investigated by officials when they are asked to do it. The police is supposed to act suo moto in such kinds of serious incidents. We should not jump on defending the case whether it is racial discrimination or not. But an incident related to the woman is in itself a serious matter. So there is no question of defending it,” he said.
“Second, during British rule, our country has seen and faced how we were discriminated on the basis of racial profiles. A lot of Indians did face racial abuse in foreign countries. We should be very careful as we were victims of it. So any kind of racial abuse or any discrimination on racial lines has to be taken up with seriousness,” he said.
