(This story was first published on 14 June 2016. It is being reposted from the The Quint’s archives after the reports of a mob attack on 6 African nationals in Dwarka, New Delhi.)
They dress skimpily, play loud music, drink in public and create ruckus. They sell drugs and are a bad influence. If they stay in India any longer, even the Indian youth will get spoilt. This is a common sentiment held by most locals in neighbourhoods with African population.
On 9 October, shocking visuals of a Nigerian national being tied to a pole, and being beaten by locals for an alleged theft in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar emerged. Last year, on May 20, a 23-year-old Congolese was stoned to death in Vasant Kunj over an auto ride. In Hyderabad, a Nigerian was hit with an iron rod after a spat over parking. And seven Africans were attacked in Chhatarpur’s Rajpur Khurd village.
The government and the police deny a racist angle and term the attacks “minor scuffles” and “isolated incidents”. But, we found deep bigotry and racism.
Watch The Quint’s report to find out.
(Camera: Sanjoy Deb, Video Editor: Kunal Mehra
With inputs from Parul Agrawal)