Where Is The Racism?

Car giant Honda has been ordered to pay £64,000 to an Indian worker who was forced to quit after suffering racial abuse at work. Kalmesh Shah, 30, moved to the UK from Gujarat in April 2004, and joined Honda in October that year.

Shah, who worked at the factory for nearly two years, was allegedly moved randomly between production line jobs without training, bullied and refused toilet breaks by his supervisor. His poor treatment led to deterioration in his physical and mental health following which he quit.

Now, then...I am sorry that Mr. Shah was treated this way, and that his health and quality of life suffered as a result. But we are told that he quit because of racial abuse. So where is it? I see nothing here that makes any indication that a single one of the man's tormentors did or said anything racist, or ever took his race into account at all.

I would be interested to hear more about what allegedly happened to Mr. Shah, but part of me suspects that he is doing something typical of what many immigrants and ethnic minorities in Britain do: that is, playing the race card. It is always easier to win some money and generate sympathy for yourself if you say someone is discriminating against you because of your race, and gullible lefties will usually oblige, even if there is no evidence for it.

As I said, I would be quite happy to change my evaluation of this case if further information comes to light, but as far as I am concerned this is a case of work-place bullying; not racism.