A thread on 'Diwali' celebration...

We've started expanding our office in Bay Area, so obviously, it lead to a sudden spike in casteist Indian Hindoos. Once the group is formed(like a pack wolves) the typical majoritarian attitude kicked in, lead to a big celebration of 'Diwali'

Not sure why companies agrees for that first of all. May be they doesn't have a choice as these guys would wear the minority card & expect it to be inclusive & had to respect the diverse culture or may be due to competition here in Bay Area.

So the arrangements were made, special food ordered. And some management folks invited their pals also, for that, one baunty ordered a specific type of wine(believe me, site manager was pissed off as that req came in very last min).

On the day of the Celebration, these folks arranged dresses also for others(non Indian folks). I'm not sure whether anyone else would do this kind of shameless thing, I have come across specific attire for parties, never seen anyone would offer to bring that attire.

As usual I rode that day, so changed to my casual khaki shorts & T shirt, went to pick up a coffee from the pantry. This baunty looks at me with strange look, asked "what happened to your dress?(the tone was like WTH)"

I looked at her in the same way WTF "what's about my dress?" Now she had realized that she is in trouble and changed her tone, "Oh! you don't know? today we are celebrating 'Diwali' we've asked everyone to be in Indian dress, I've assumed you are a Hindoo from your name"

Me: "oh! I'm actually constitutionally identified as hindooo & who said all hindoos celebrate 'Diwali'"
Now she is bit tensed & just ran away with "oh! really?". From that day, she would just literally avoid me, not even
an eye contact

Next day my boss(non-Indian) casually asked me whether I've attended the celebration as he didn't find me in the photos, which opened up a nice chance to explain about these casteist bigots & their bigotry, how these guys discriminate using even the dress. https://twitter.com/thaiyaan/status/1187249104411193344

Frankly that day, many of my colleagues(non Indians) have noticed me & about my non-participation, which opened up so many avenues to expose these casteist bigots & their bigotry on food, the big lie that India is a Vegie country, how they discriminate based on food, dress, etc.

And got some good details about how these stooges would take advantage of their minority card & how demanding in some cases, like special wines & for specific food, one even inquired that whether reimburse for dress, like rent thing, which brought for one of her white boss.

I'm not sure whether I would've survived if I'd been directly reporting to her, definitely I would have done what I did. At the same time let me confess that I remained silent in couple of instances when I moved here, in fact resigned & moved on due to some bigotry I saw.