India's internment camps in 1962

Very few are aware that the same thing occurred in India in 1962 after Red China pulled a sneak attack that happened with Japanese-Americans and Japanese-Canadians after Pearl Harbor. Ethnic Chinese in north-eastern India, especially in Calcutta, were arrested and packed off to a detention camp in Deoli, way out in the Rajasthan desert. Just like Japanese-Americans they were vilified and insulted, their property was either confiscated or looted or destroyed.

Many of these Hindi-Chini were born and raised in India. One former internee who was interviewed said that not only he but both his parents were born in India. Yet the Indian government treated them as enemy aliens. The train transporting them to Deoli in the desert was needlessly decorated with the word "enemy" on its side. Consequently, at various train stops residents came to pelt stones and call them names.

After China's surprise attack the Hindi- Chini community condemned Beijing's actions, offered donations and language translation skills. This was rejected, and treated with suspicion and derision. Just like Canadians and Americans of Japanese descent, they were never given a decent chance to prove their loyalty.

Yet whereas Canada and the United States have owned up to their shame, India has kept dodging this matter. Indian officials openly acknowledge the parallels with Japanese-American internment, but make no signs whatever of shame or regret. These are the same hypocrites who lecture the world about Gandhi. These are the same holier-than-thous who condemned South African apartheid while it was still alive, and championed African decolonization at the United Nations. But of course, only white people get criticized by the leftists and the liberals for doing racism!

India has had four wars with Pakistan, but Indian Muslims were never treated in this way. If anything, the Congress Party often went out of its way to butter up the Muslim vote. But the Hindi-Chini were a tiny, inconsequential minority, so they could easily be kicked with muddy boots. Many Indian Muslims have been openly disloyal or pro-Pakistani, waving Pakistani flags in demonstrations. In contrast the Hindi-Chini, like Japanese-Americans, behaved peacefully and respectfully.

This needs to be researched more. It has been pushed under the carpet too long.