A Sikh entrepreneur residing in Australia for the past 15 years has been deeply unsettled by a distressing series of events. Jarnail 'Jimmy' Singh, the proprietor of 'Dawat – The Invitation' restaurant in Hobart, Tasmania, has faced a harrowing ordeal involving his vehicle being repeatedly smeared with excrement and receiving racist letters, explicitly stating, "go home, Indian."
Singh expressed his mounting distress to ABC News, highlighting the mental strain resulting from the targeted acts, particularly when his name was explicitly mentioned. He confided that the situation has taken a toll on his mental well-being and emphasized the urgency for action to address such disturbing occurrences.
Initially, Singh believed the offending letter might have been composed by a young individual and attempted to disregard it, as per the report. Recalling the initial incident, he recounted how dog excrement was consistently smeared on his car's door handles for a stretch of four to five days, followed by the delivery of a racist letter in his driveway, explicitly targeting his ethnicity.
Despite notifying the police and installing surveillance cameras on his property, the hateful letters persisted, exacerbating the distressing situation. Singh shared that a subsequent letter, received approximately a month later, contained even more offensive content, including derogatory remarks like "you can **** off back to India." Additionally, his car was maliciously scratched outside his workplace, further escalating the severity of the situation.
Expressing a dire need for change, Singh urged for immediate action to curb such malicious acts, emphasizing the imperative to halt this trend of racial harassment.
Tasmania Police Commander Jason Elmer released a statement confirming that the incidents had been reported and were undergoing investigation. Elmer emphasized that existing legislation permitted courts to consider racial prejudice as an aggravating factor during sentencing, highlighting the gravity of such offenses.
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Commander Elmer denounced any form of verbal or physical harassment in the community and encouraged individuals to promptly report any prejudice-related incidents to the police.
Aimen Jafri, chair of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, echoed Singh's sentiments, remarking on the distressingly common and escalating nature of such incidents.
Singh expressed hope that by sharing his distressing experiences, it could serve as a catalyst to prevent others from enduring similar ordeals. Following the initiation of a police investigation, Singh utilized his social media platform to emphasize the unequivocal rejection of racism in Australia. He expressed gratitude to his supporters and customers for their unwavering solidarity during this challenging period, acknowledging their supportive gestures through calls, messages, and visits to his restaurant.
(With Agency Inputs)
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