Aftenposten, Norway’s largest newspaper, revealed an opinion piece by journalist Frank Rossavik. The article features a cartoon of PM Modi as a snake charmer.
The headline says, “A intelligent and barely annoying man”.
The cartoon has set social media on hearth. Customers have began expressing their views on the article. It was initially revealed on 16 Could however got here to gentle solely after PM Modi’s go to to Oslo.
Social Media Response
Quite a few social media feedback name the cartoon “derogatory” and “racist”.
“Frank Rossavik and Aftenposten have produced a lazy, racist caricature of Prime Minister Modi as a cross-legged snake-charmer piping a gasoline nozzle out of a basket, the kind of drained colonial drivel one expects from a fading European rag determined for relevance,” reacted a social media person whereas calling the opinion piece “completely disgraceful”.
“Frank Rossavik has spewed racist and derogatory venom on PM Modi along with his headline saying “A sneaky and barely annoying man”. Frank Rossavik could be intently related as being an advocate and an endorser of George Soros, who has been brazenly vocal about being Anti-Modi…” wrote one other person.
One other person wrote, “West has utterly run out of structural arguments. After they can’t beat India on GDP progress charges, can’t match India’s digital public infrastructure, & can’t cease India from anchoring international provide chains, their solely remaining software is to tug out a racist drawing of a snake charmer.”
“This cartoon is blatantly racist. What additionally stands out is the irony. PM Modi used to talk about how earlier the world considered India as a “land of snake charmers.” And now, throughout his go to to Oslo, a serious European newspaper depicts him precisely that manner,” got here from one other.
One other person commented, “The picture, accompanying an article on India’s overseas coverage, revives outdated colonial stereotypes that many discover disrespectful and out of contact with at the moment’s international realities. As India continues to play a assured, multi-aligned position on the world stage, such portrayals solely spotlight lingering biases. Briefly, pity.”
“Norway’s largest paper simply ran a cartoon of PM Modi as a snake charmer, calling him ‘a sneaky and barely annoying man.’ This is not journalism. It is colonial-era racism dressed up as commentary. They cannot abdomen India’s rise, in order that they attain for a similar drained stereotypes their grandparents used. The masks slips each time,” posted one other person.
What’s Written within the Article?
The article, written forward of PM Modi’s go to, begins with: “On Monday, the prime minister of the world’s most populous nation can pay an official go to to Norway. The primary goal is the India-Nordic summit in Oslo on Tuesday, the third since 2018.”
“Why does the chief of giant India care a couple of group of small international locations within the northwest? The Nordic area has experience in wind energy, inexperienced know-how, digitalisation, and extra. The Nordic area can also be a gateway to the Arctic, a area of curiosity to all main powers,” the article additional says.
“The place Donald Trump says “America First,” Modi says “India First.” However the latter doesn’t pursue it with rockets and bullying. Modi travels round, nods and smiles, talks and indicators commerce, know-how, and different agreements with everybody. In his view, the world’s international locations ought to study from India,” the article additional says.
