For BBC, India’s Choice Is Between Snake Charmers or Modernity
The ancient profession of snake charmers was banned following the implementation of Indian Wildlife Act of 1972.
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BBC embarked on the very noble project of documenting the life of snake charmers in India, whose ancient profession was banned following the implementation of the Indian Wildlife Act of 1972.
Having been dependent on the reptiles for generations for their bread and butter, the illiterate and poor communities of snake charmers suddenly found themselves fighting for a livelihood.
The intention was marvelous, but for a little “first world” blunder. In a tweet, the BBC very naively popped a question with an indelible stamp of racism.
The little slip took us right back to the India which was famously stereotyped as the land of snake charmers and dusky naked women by British colonialists eager to squeeze funds out of the royal coffers on their mission to find rich colonies to conquer.
But as far as the BBC is concerned, they still seem to be nursing the colonial hangover. Why, surely India has to sever ties with its third-world mumbo-jumbo to “embrace modernity” (Read: be like the enlightened Europeans).
Their silly stereotyping attracted a whole lot of attention on Twitter. Here’s what some of them had to say:
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