Chandni Bhagwanani opens up about facing racism in Australia

Chandni Bhagwanani has been living in Australia for over 5 months now. The actress was thee for professional commitments when the lockdown was imposed and has still not had the opportunity to return. The actress has now been there for quite some time and took to her Twitter to share a horrifying experience in racism. Opening up about it, she posted a video where she explained in detail how a bus driver asked her to exit the bus before her stop came.

Luckily, she was only a few minutes away from the location and walked it up. However, she noticed that the bus was heading the same way and decided not to interact with the bus driver. “I am making this video to tell you all one small racism incident that happened with me. I was supposed to go to a certain destination but there was no direct train. So, I had to get down at a certain station and get a replacement bus. This was for the first time I was travelling in a replacement vehicle. So, I asked the driver if we are going to go to this destination and he didn't reply. I thought he didn't hear me, so never mind I went and sat switching on my google map and I was trying to locate things. We missed one right turn, two right turns and then a third right turn. So, I again went to him and asked, Are we going to this destination? This where we are supposed to go and you are not going that way. Is there any nearest stop I can get down at? He didn't reply and got busy on his phone then somebody else went to him and asked the same question and surprisingly he pleasantly replied, 'Yes ma'am' and that person was not Indian.”

She further spoke about it and said, “Then after sometime another person went and asked about their respective stops and he replied to them also. So, I thought he is free now, so he may answer me too. When I went and asked him he didn't reply and started looking outside the window and it really shook me. I couldn't believe that racism still existed and it was humiliating. So, I asked him what is the matter and why is he not replying to me. Where are we going? So he yelled at me, stopped the bus in between and he said, 'Get out.' I was shocked. "You get out of here f..... Indian's," were his words. I wish I would have the courage to take out my phone and shoot the incident. But honestly, when that was happening, I was shaken and didn't know how to react. That person was so strong that I didn't understand what to do? This is really sad that racism still exists.”

Take a look at her video.

#racism #notcool #ptv #Melbourne smallest act of racism is as serious as another major act of racism pic.twitter.com/aysID8Wg9r

— Chandni Bhagwanani (@chandnib21) July 9, 2020