'Westerners only want to blame Indians for taking their jobs': Indian immigrant in Germany sheds light on discrimination in Europe

An Indian living in Germany recently took to Reddit to share their experience of discrimination, negative stereotypes, and growing hostility towards Indian immigrants in Europe. The post, which has sparked widespread discussion, highlights the challenges faced by many Indians abroad, from cultural misconceptions to overt racism.

"When I first moved to Europe, I didn’t think about racism or discrimination or being stereotyped," the user wrote. "I thought I would move abroad and, like my immigrant friends, build my life here."

However, the Redditor notes that their experience has been far from what they expected, citing instances where they felt judged based on their nationality. According to them, many Europeans assume that Indians live in unhygienic conditions and are only in the West for low-paying jobs.

"I recently sensed growing hostility towards Indians in Europe because of our huge immigration. We are really looked down upon and called low-paid job seekers," they explained.

One particularly uncomfortable incident occurred during a vacation in Greece. The user recounted how they were mocked after stating they lived in Germany, with locals insisting on knowing their country of origin.

"When I said Germany, I was laughed at and asked where I came from again. I said India, and they continued something in Greek, laughing at what I said," the Redditor recalled.

While acknowledging that some immigrants may struggle to integrate or follow local etiquette, they argue that Indians are unfairly generalized. "I understand that some Indians don’t even try to integrate into a new country, but not everyone does it. Yet, we are all generalised as one," they stated.

The post also touched on the broader discourse around Indian immigration in Western countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and the UK. "Westerners just want to blame Indians for mass immigration and taking their jobs. They criticise our way of life, and god, it is spreading on the internet too. It does hurt seeing all this hatred," the user lamented.

Despite the challenges, the Redditor expressed hope that the Indian diaspora can change these perceptions by collectively striving to be seen as a progressive community.

"If we all could collectively do better and be seen as a progressive society rather than low-paid workers eating and smelling like curry," they concluded.

"I think a giant reason for the increasing racism is a refusal to push back. Be polite but... stand up for yourself if you aren't wrong," a user shared in response to the post. 

"Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece) is known to be highly racist against non-White people. Germany is a hit or miss. Major German cities are highly accepting of immigrants. In general, Germans are far more likely to be conservative and less welcoming of immigrants than English or Irish. UK is the best place for desis," another user shared.