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Article: Times of India
4 March 2001
by Soli J. Sorabjee
The Regional Preparatory Meeting in Teheran
for the forthcoming World Conference Against Racism in Durban in
September witnessed interesting developments. It was acknowledged
that no country is immune from the virus of racism whose roots
lie in the hearts and minds of people. What is required is mental
cleansing to remove prejudices against certain communities and
races, and in this, education has a vital role to play.
In addition to the International Convention
for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) which India has
ratified, there is urgent need for an international convention
for punishment of the practice of racism and for compensation to
its victims. There were misconceived attempts by some NGOs to
equate racism with caste-based discrimination which is based on
birth and occupation and has nothing to do with the race of a
person.
Our Constitution recognises the distinction
between race and caste which are separately mentioned as
prohibited grounds of discrimination. Speeches disseminating hate
through the Internet can spread racism and must be effectively
suppressed. However in our anxiety to do so we must be careful
not to proscribe rational criticism merely because it is hurtful
to someone's feelings. Otherwise, free and frank debate will
become impossible and freedom of expression will be the prime
casualty.
In Iran, ladies are required to cover their
heads with a scarf in public. Some women delegates inadvertently
omitted to observe this injunction during the conference. The
result was an angry public demonstration and demand for the
resignation of the minister who organised the conference!
Politicking apparently is universal. My first visit to Iran was
not without a tinge of nostalgia for the past buried in antiquity
especially when the ruins of Persepolis reminded me of the
Zoroastrian emperors Cynus and Darius and the glorious
Zoroastrian civilisation. Incidentally, a return air-ticket from
Teheran to Shiraz, a distance of 900 kms costs just US.
People attach great importance to their
names and their correct spelling and pronunciation. Right to a
given name is recognised as a human right by Article 18 of the
American Convention on Human Rights 1969 (ACHR).
The directive to Indian call centre workers
to change over to English names on the ground that names like
Ravindran or Subramaniam cause difficulties for British
customers, has raised a furore. A spokesman for UNIFI, one of
Britain's largest white collar unions, termed this name-changing
"an insult to the intelligence of the work force and the
callers and totally ridiculous".
The Commission for Racial Equality is
examining this matter following concerns that the name game has
racial implications. However, there can be no objection to a
person voluntarily changing a name to avoid embarrassment. This
happened when a Parsi gentleman whose surname was Screwalla
promptly altered it to Spencer because he could not face the
daily barrage of quips and questions from his colleagues:
"Had a good screw? Good luck, screw" and the various
pungent variations on the theme.
High sounding tests like adherence to the
Rule of Law, a free press, an independent judiciary et al have
been formulated for determining the level of civilisation of a
country. A pragmatic test would be the state of toilets in public
buildings which generally have an unbearable stench in our
country. It is heartening that the Archaeological Survey of India
has signed an agreement with a non-governmental organisation,
Sulabh International, at Safdarjung's Tomb in Delhi to provide
sanitation facilities at 34 World Heritage sites in India. Rajya
Sabha MP Shabana Azmi who inaugurated the first of these toilets
at Safdarjung Tomb was so impressed by the toilet set there that
she requested all those present to see it before leaving.
Toilets have a fascination for some people.
A Hong Kong Chinese, Mr Lam Sai-Wing, who runs a jewellery store
has a unique toilet in his shop. It has two 24-carat gold
commodes and toilet bowls, wash basins, toilet brushes, toilet
paper holders, mirror frames, wall-mounted chandeliers, wall
tiles and doors all made of solid gold. People have to spend at
least 1,000 Hong Kong dollars on jewellery for the privilege of
using the toilet.
The irony is that Lam's inspiration for the
toilet sprang from his interpretation of Lenin's purported
statement that he wanted to make gold toilets for the public
after the triumph of socialist ideology. None of this capitalist
obscene toilet opulence for socialist India. We will rest content
with clean functioning toilets. Is this an Utopian fancy?
Posted on 2001-07-16
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