An Open Letter Expressing Solidarity with African Students

The attack on the four Tanzanian students in Bengaluru, including a young, 21-year old woman, has to be called out for what it is - a case of racist, mass violence. What is shameful is not just the mob's targeting of the African students for an accident at the same spot earlier on, that they were completely unconnected with, but also the complicity of the police personnel present there and other bystanders. It is a sad commentary on the administration, that it took three days and public outrage to register a police complaint and take action.

There are 12,000 foreign students in Bengaluru alone and a large number in other towns and cities. We, as a nation, need to address the problems they face, particularly that of racism. We need an administration that is sensitive to such issues. We need our institutions of learning, our industries and businesses to foster an environment where nobody is targeted for race, colour, caste or religion.

Indians today are active as professionals and have businesses all over the globe. We should provide the same environment here that we, as Indians, expect abroad.

We, as business leaders, appeal to the Karnataka government to take immediate action on this issue and express our solidarity with the African students.

Sameer Soman, Sudhir Tiwari & Prabir Purkayastha