The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Appalling behaviour

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Monday, Oct 22, 2007
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Appalling behaviour

This refers to the report “Fans booked for racial taunts” (Oct. 19). I was shocked on seeing the photograph that accompanied the report. The entire country has been put to shame by a few. I wonder whether India can still boast of a rich cultural heritage. There is no point in arguing that the taunts at Australian cricket player Andrew Symonds in Mumbai were not racist or that the fans “were praying to Hanuman.” Earnest efforts should be made to prevent such incidents in future.

T.A. Karthik Abiram,

Erode

* * *

Notwithstanding denials of ‘racist’ abuse, it is true that our cricket fans made indecent gestures at Symonds in Vadodara and Mumbai. The youngsters seem to have forgotten that Mahatma Gandhi faced racial abuse — he was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment though he held a first-class ticket — in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Or that some of our countrymen were forced to crawl by the British. We are the descendents of the most subjugated society in the world. Our fellow cricket fans should study history to understand the pain of subjugation. We should uphold the spirit of anti-apartheid.

V. Praveen Kumar,

Hyderabad

* * *

I admire Symonds’ tolerance and composure. Shame on our people who treated our guests in such an uncivilised manner! More shameful is BCCI president Sharad Pawar’s description of the monkey gestures as a misunderstanding.

Prashant Malaiyya,

Vellore

* * *

By taking the four fans to task, we cannot undo the damage done to Symonds. We hope the world will not consider the four as representatives of Indian fans. We are very sorry for what happened to the Australian player.

Namita Pandey,

New Delhi

* * *

The article “Deal with it now” (Comment, Oct. 19) is right in pointing out that India perhaps has more racists than most other countries. The reference to matrimonial advertisements in newspapers appropriately exposes our society. Hats off to Symonds the champion and true gentleman. As a nation, we should apologise to him.

P. Parthiban,

Philadelphia

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