Elimination of Racial Discrimination by Kislay Pandey - Advocate, Supreme Court of India

It is very unfortunate that spending two long centuries in the slavery and sacrificing the life of thousands of people to emancipate the nation from the humiliated existence, we the people of India forget our past and majority of us don't know that every year on March 21 the world observes International Elimination of Racial Discrimination Day. Since ages socially deprived and underprivileged people have been facing the wrath of dominant people in the society, just because of different colour and origin.

This year the day is going to be more thoughtful for all of us, as the world has lost a great stalwart of equality who spent whole life in fighting against racism, but always in a peaceful manner following the footsteps of the 'Champion of Equality' the ever inspiring Mahatma Gandhi. The death of Nelson Mandela is a great lost for all who believe in human equality, but his life can give a purpose to our future and motto to the 'Mission Humanity' 

This day, we have to ask ourselves that, why we are promoting racial discrimination  by sitting silent ? Why we forgot to welcome and respect guests from all parts of the world? Even in the capital of India we are condoning racial practises, racism against people from North-East and African. Recently our inhuman behaviour with Nido, a young guy from Arunachal Pradesh was assaulted and brutally beaten by some miscreants in New Delhi, who latter succumbed to his injuries.

It would count ‘direct discrimination’ if a school or college refuses to give an admission to a student just because of origin or skin colour then it is absolutely inhuman. The constitution of India in article 14 guarantees equality before law that everyone should be treated equally before the law. Article 15 reaffirms and strengthen the Article 14, that no one shall be discriminated on the ground of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them. Despite of clarity in the law of the nation,  it failed completely to eradicate racial discrimination from the society.

We had warmly accepted the Valentine Day in just 20 odd years, now humanity expects same enthusiasm and pace to abolish racial discrimination, an evil which created animosity and hatred among people of the land. Let's think and ponder on this issue and do not slaughter humans, slaughter discrimination inside your heart, mind and ego.