Police investigate Caste slur’s at Indian Athlete’s family
Vandana Katariya who became the first Indian woman to score a hattrick at the Olympics suffers racism.
Police are investigating racist abuse and cast discrimination against Olympic Hockey player, Vandana Katariya, after recent loss against Argentina at Tokyo.
According to local news reports, the investigation comes after Ms Katariya’s family heard casteist remarks from Hindu men outside their home in Haridwar, a city in northern India.
The men allegedly blamed India’s loss on there being “too many Dalit players” in the team.
Casteism is legally determined as ‘racism’ and is formally acknowledged as such by the United Nations. However, historically the government of India has denied this, and has faced criticism from international bodies for denying basic human rights to those deemed to be in the “lower caste and tribes”. Several people have now been arrested in connection to the allegations.
Ms Katariya, 29, who is a member of the female Hockey National Indian team, made history after becoming the first Indian woman to score a hat trick at the Olympics during a game against South Africa on July 31 – putting India in the semi-finals against Argentina.
Image credits: Left - Times of India. Right: Twitter
A team player and sportswoman, Ms Katariya modestly attributed the achievements to team effort, saying: “This is a team game, the whole team works for goals. How can I claim credit for the goals today. Am happy we have won, not because I could score.”
However, the loss of India in the semi finale in Women’s Hockey against Argentina brought haters to her doorstep in India who blamed her cast for losing against another equally adept team.
Whilst prominent figures in the UK, like Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Football association bosses condemned the abuse – Indian athlete Vandana Katariya awaits justice.
Organisation, Mission Ambedkar wrote a formal letter to the international Olympics community in order to receive acknowledgement and action from the government of India.
The subject of the letter read: “A letter to pass condemnation notice to the Government of India and the Hockey Team for their silence on 5th August 2021.” Mission Ambedkar is a forum promoting ‘Ambedkarism’ and demanding equality in practice for the Dalits and the Scheduled caste and tribes in India, as well as demanding the abolishment of the caste system in India.
