From ‘dirty Indians’ to candy thieves… Indians are becoming victims of racism in Canada, know how they are becoming targets

Increased concerns of Indians

The concerns of Indians studying in Canada have increased. Nishtha Gupta is pursuing a Master of Public Policy at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Gupta says that I have noticed many incidents in which Indians in Canada have been wrongly accused of anti-social behavior. As an immigrant, this makes me worried about my long-term future in this country.

Given the racist rhetoric against immigrants in the US elections, I fear the same issues will dominate the Canadian elections. This, combined with the increasingly anti-immigration stance of the Canadian government as well as the opposition, made me think about what I would do after graduating.

‘Model minority’ myth broken

The current wave of hostility follows a surge in the number of immigrants. However, equating immigrants with South Asians ignores the fact that people of various ethnic backgrounds, including white people from Europe, continue to come to Canada. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Canadians faced a similar racist response. At the time, the Indian diaspora probably felt that they were immune from such vitriolic behavior. Now, when this is happening against them, many among the Indian diaspora feel that their ‘model minority’ myth has been shattered.

Frustration against Indian immigrants

Some people have expressed their frustration against recently arrived Indian immigrants. he/she has been blamed for tarnishing the image of Indians in Canada. This internalized racism manifests itself in discussions on South Asian radio stations, social media debates, and at NRI gatherings. Here angry voices call for sending these migrants back. Then there are those who claim they are Punjabi, wrongly believing that separating from their Indian identity will protect them from racist attacks. The shocking thing is that these groups use the same racist words as those of whom they are victims.

Difficulty in relations between India and Canada

Canada’s ongoing affordable housing crisis has further heightened local concerns. International students are being blamed for this, most of whom come from India. People are desperate to get answers to their existential questions. Subtle explanations fail to satisfy their need to find a scapegoat. The matter has been further complicated by strained relations between Canada and India following the killing of a prominent Khalistan separatist last year.

The recent attack on a Hindu temple in Brampton has created another flashpoint. Although its impact on public perception is difficult to measure, the constant conflict between pro-Khalistan and anti-Khalistan groups has given racists an excuse to claim that all South Asians are unruly. These people are killing the ‘Canadian lifestyle’ – whatever that is.

Who is next after Chinese and Indians?

Racism is often considered too vulgar a topic to discuss by many Canadians. Canadians like to believe that this is a problem limited to the United States. In an environment of such denial, no ethnic minority can expect to remain untouched by racism in Canada. Yesterday, it was the Chinese; Today, it is Indians; Tomorrow, it could be someone else.
(The author is Killam Doctoral Scholar in History at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver)