Sir,

I remember I was in my school playing with friends then one of my classmates called me hey! Chinese. I responded with a smile as I felt happy being called so but soon it became uneasy to listen to it again. I had never thought that this is going to continue till today. Born in a Nepali family I had never thought that I had to pay for being a Nepali. I agree there are biological similarities between Chinese, Nepalese, Korean and Japanese. But this doesn’t mean people can crown me with any of these titles.

India is known for its diverse culture then why this hypocrisy prevails in the minds of the people. Not only in school this happened but wherever I went discrimination followed me like my shadow and this is not only my story but the story of every Nepalese and the people residing in the North-Eastern parts of the country.

It’s too disheartening to see how the society treat us, Nepalese men have been tagged as ‘ Bahadur’ why? Don’t they have any name or are they meant only to look-after the houses(as they think so). This myth of Nepalese men being called as Bahadur has taken shape in a wrong manner. That typical scenario has gone but the parts of it are still there in the minds of the people.  

Time to time they make us feel that we don’t belong to this country, they tell us to leave the country and uses absurd languages and insults us, we fight, we quarrel, sometimes we try to make them understand but everything goes in vain as because of their rigidity. What’s the use of being educated when there’s zero tolerance and ill thoughts for others?

The treatment we get from the society is so disgraceful, still we never uttered wrong words for our country. It’s because we believe in peace and brotherhood and thats what our country is known for, but now there are some groups and people who’s trying to ruin the diversity by bringing the stereotypical thoughts in the society. It’s high time we need to work on it; otherwise it will become more complicated.

I am not a ‘Chinese’, nor a ‘Nepali’ or ‘Indian’ but I am a human first so please treat me as human not an alien.

Yours Truly

Shradha, CEMS 3rd Year, Patna Women’s College

  intolerance, letters, Nepal