Jani also stated that his Konkani friend who came to play garba was told: “We don’t come to your events, you are not allowed to ours." When she said she was Kannada-Marathi, she was told: “What is Kannada? You are Ismaili.”
In many ways, astrophysicist Karan Jani is the proverbial ‘Sharmaji ka beta’. A postdoctoral research fellow in astrophysics and a member of the historic LIGO scientific collaboration, he was part of the global team of scientists who discovered the existence of gravitational waves, which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in physics.
Despite his numerous achievements, he found out that the hard way, that bigotry can take root in numerous ways.
Recently, at an event in Shakti Mandir in Atlanta, US, Dr Karan Jani claimed he and his friends were denied entry for ‘not being Hindu enough’.
He says he was told “You don’t look Hindu and the last name in your IDs don’t sound Hindu.”
Jani also stated that his Konkani friend who came to play garba was told: “We don’t come to your events, you are not allowed to ours." When she said she was Kannada-Marathi, she was told: “What is Kannada? You are Ismaili.”
Jani added that even though he and his mates spoke in Gujarati, an organiser told them they were ‘Vohra, Sindhis’ and asked them to leave.
He said: “Our IDs had the Indian Emblem. Yes, emblem with 'Satyamev Jayate' right? Apparently, it didn’t have our religion. Our caste. It was embarrassing. I come here to play garba for the last 6 years. How could you not let us in because of the last name?"
His father Pankaj Jani, based in Vadodara, told news agency ANI: “He had been going there since yrs for the event. Volunteers stopped him and told him he doesn't look like a Hindu and even his surname doesn't appear to be that of a Hindu. They check IDs. His ID has national emblem on it,even then he was asked to leave. Later he talked to me over phone and sounded nervous.”
Read his full post below:
Year 2018 & Shakti Mandir in Atlanta, USA denied me and my friends entry from playing garba because:
“You don’t look Hindu and last name in your IDs don’t sound Hindu”
My Konkani friend who came to Garba for 1st time *due to enthusiasm of us Gujaratis* was pulled out of line & was told:
“We don’t come to your events, you are not allowed to ours”
She: “My last name is Murdeshwar. I’m Kannada-Marathi!”
Him: “What is Kannada? You are Ismaili”
My other friends last name had “Dangarwala”. We spoke in Gujarati to them.
They still said we were “Vohra, Sindhis”. They actually kept stating other religions!!
They ganged up and told us to leave.
While we saw other non-Indians being entered (which they of course should!)
Our IDs had Indian Emblem. Yes emblem with “Satyamev Jayate” right?
Apparently, it didn’t have our religion. Our caste.
It was embarrassing. I had tears in my eyes saying them:
“I come here to play Garba for last 6 years. How could you not let us in because of last name”
I was told by that organizer, a senior person, things in Gujarati which are so crude & demeaning that it can’t be shared on public forum. Just to ensure we don’t dare to enter the temple again.
Such fuss just for Garba in Navratri - With friends - to celebrate Indian culture
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 "Dr Karan Jani")
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