Mizoram CM denies calling Indians racist

Mizoram CM denies calling Indians racist
27 Jun 2009 [TNN]

NEW DELHI: Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla has denied saying that Indians were racist or that he was a “victim of racism”. The CM was quoted extensively in the media as saying in Singapore that Indians too were racist. He reportedly cited his own example, saying he was asked by people if he was Nepali because of his physical features.



On Friday, the Mizoram government issued a strongly worded denial which said the chief minister was “not correctly appreciated”. “What he had stated was that India is a multi-racial country and there could occasionally be some misunderstanding based on physical features of individuals from particular regions of the country. He did not even distantly suggest or hint that the people of India were racist and that he was a victim of racism,” the Mizoram government said.

Others present at the conference and who had heard the Mizoram chief minister speak said Lalthanhawla did not refer to racism at all, but took a light-hearted look at the “distance” between the northeast and the rest of India.