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’Locals tend to stereotype them resulting in conflicts’

The recent incidents of seniors physically assaulting their juniors in some Bangalore colleges have again brought to the fore safety concerns of foreign students and those from outside the State studying in the City.

A Sudan national, Hosni, who is pursuing a course in computers, said, “I always live in constant fear, especially after being manhandled by auto drivers for not paying the extra amount demanded by a driver.

From waiters at hotels to house owners, we are gawked at the way we dress and the way we look. No matter how much we keep to ourselves, there are people who drag us into tiffs and make it look like as though we are the culprits,” he said.

Gnaly Boreon, a student from Ivory Coast, says she is thinking of returning to her country after the humiliation heaped on her by her own classmates.

“We are taunted at every step. I used to take it lightly, but sometimes it goes beyond control and I cannot approach anyone for help as there is always a biased behaviour against us. The owner of my house checks my bag to see what I am carrying and we cannot protest because we will end up on the streets.”

“Students from different countries come to the City for its better environment and education. But the locals tend to stereotype them, resulting in conflicts between them and students from foreign countries and other states in the country,” said a professor from the Indian Academy College.

Another professor of a City-based college who did not want to be named said, “Most of the students think Bangalore is a cosmopolitan city and it is safe. But it is not so for students who do not know the local language and have no support system.

One of my students from Manipur was ill-treated at a popular mall and no one came to her rescue. Numerous such incidents have been swept under the carpet.”

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Kamal Pant said, “Every college should have a cell to address the problems faced by foreign students. Most of the time, they hesitate to file a complaint because it is a long process.

 As a result, such incidents go unnoticed. We would like to tell them that if they face any untoward incident, they can come directly to the Police Commissioner’s office and lodge a complaint. We will initiate immediate action.”

As a measure to protect its students, CMR College has formed a Foreign Students’ Association. “We have around 100 students from different countries and more than 1,000 students from other states studying in our college.

We conduct an orientation programme for these students and we suggest various safety measures to be followed while they are on the campus or outside it,” said Santhosh, a member of the Association.

“These students should always make it a point to carry their identity card and residential address proof with them. They should not indulge in any illegal activities, and most importantly, they should not entertain strangers and maintain a distance from people they know. Thus they can reduce the chances of conflicts,” he said.