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'If we were racist, how do we live with south Indians', ex-BJP MP Tarun Vijay sparks controversy

Tarun Vijay's comments have infuriated many.

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Amid the row over the recent attacks on African students in India, former BJP MP Tarun Vijay has sparked a controversy saying, "If we were racist, how do we live with south Indians." Tarun Vijay made the remarks during an interview with the Al Jazeera English news channel.

The former MP was replying to one of the panellists - photographer Mahesh Shantaram - who questioned how politicians were saying that there is no racism in India. "Why are people abroad.. those who visit our nation, then feeling that Indians are racists. Are they all wrong?" 

To this Tarun Vijay responded, "If we all were racists, why would have the entire South...you know Tamil..you know Kerala, you know Karnataka. Andhra... Why do we live with them. We have black people around us." He also questioned Shantaram's nationality, which prompted the photographer to display his Indian passport. 

After receiving backlash, Tarun Vijay attempted some damage control on Twitter. He clarified, "I said we worship Krishna, which literally means black, we were the first to oppose any racism and were in fact victims of racist British."

"In may parts of the nation we have different people of different colour and never ever did we have any discrimination against them. My words perhaps were not enough to convey this. Feel bad, really feel sorry, my apologies to those who feel I said something different than what I meant," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, terming the African envoys' comment on the recent attacks on African students as 'xenophobic' and 'racial', External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj had said it cannot be called racist before probe is completed.

She also termed the African envoys' statement as 'unfortunate, painful and surprising'.

Denouncing attacks on African nationals as "xenophobic and racial" in nature, heads of African missions in India have hit out at the government, saying it took no "known, sufficient and visible" deterrent action.

In a strongly-worded press release, the envoys, who recently held a "special" meeting on the incidents, agreed to call for an independent investigation by the Human Rights Council as well as other human rights bodies, and also to comprehensively report the matter to the Commission of the African Union.

There are missions of more than 50 African countries which are accredited to India. Four Nigerian students were attacked by a group of Greater Noida residents who took out a candle light march on March 26 after a 17-year-old boy Manish died due to suspected drug overdose.

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