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HomeIndia67% Indians blame China for Covid-19, 50% say calling it 'Chinese virus'...

67% Indians blame China for Covid-19, 50% say calling it ‘Chinese virus’ not racist: Survey

An online survey by The Takshashila Institution finds many Indians believe China failed to stop illegal wildlife trade and contain early outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

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New Delhi: An online survey conducted by The Takshashila Institution has found that a majority of Indians think China was responsible for the coronavirus pandemic. A significant number of them also feel calling the illness a “Chinese virus” or “Wuhan virus” wasn’t racist or stigmatised.

The survey was carried out by Manoj Kewalramani, fellow, China Studies, at The Takshashila Institution, on how people perceived China after the Covid-19 crisis.

Conducted from 26 March to 3 April, it had 1,299 respondents — 1,156 Indians, and the rest of them were from US, Canada and even China.

Around 67 per cent of the total respondents believed that China was responsible for the Covid-19 outbreak. Out of these, 48 per cent said China failed to stop illegal wildlife trade, contain an early outbreak of the contagious illness and had “lied” to the world.

Around 18 per cent also believed coronavirus could be a biological weapon created by China.

More than 50 per cent of Indians in the survey said calling the illness a “Chinese virus” was needed to make sure the neighbouring country didn’t escape responsibility.


Also read: Over 60% migrants don’t know govt measures in place for them to deal with lockdown: Survey


China’s policies ‘draconian and opaque’

Around 65 per cent of those who participated in the survey thought China’s policies in containing the coronavirus outbreak were “draconian and opaque”.

They also believed that the Chinese government has hidden the true scale of the crisis. Only 3 per cent said China has provided a model for others to contain the outbreak and displayed the strength of its governance system.

India-China relationship 

China has been supplying masks, ventilators and other protective gear to other countries affected by the pandemic. On Sunday, the country donated 1,000 ventilators to the US.

Around 56 per cent of respondents in the survey, however, believed China’s gesture towards other countries was “nothing but geopolitics”. According to the survey, these respondents said China’s actions were only an opportunity to project its power over other nations.

A majority of the participants also didn’t think China was a threat to India. Close to 50 per cent admitted that both countries shared a complex relationship and common interests.


Also read: This is the ‘Bhilwara model’ Modi govt is looking to use across India to fight Covid-19


 

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10 COMMENTS

  1. topical Indian mentality always blame their neighboring countries for everything, they even blame their personal internal country problems on neighboring countries, India is a neighbor which no one wants

  2. What’s wrong with us Indians? Referring to the 33% and 50%
    There shouldn’t have been a need to take this survey. It’s like asking people if they think the earth is round

  3. Chinese tourists brought corona virus to India. First reports were posted if a tourist who contaminated an innocent cab driver. His family is impacted greatly. Similarly, a Japanese person who travelled through China and brought it to France. Fact is a fact. And Chinese people are shutting people for staying the fact. If someone assaults a Chinese for it, it is wrong but to stop people from telling where the virus same from and spread it is wrong too.

  4. Print always publish news from the point of view of other country and has always portrayed indian public’s opinion as negative. When there is always racism against indians and whole world blames india for minor situation why can’t we blame china for thing they had created or started. They have lied to the whole world and they don’t feel responsible.

  5. There’s no xenophobic hate crimes on Spanish, Africans and Middle Eastern for all those diesease. However there’s xenophobic attacks on anyone who look Chinese for Chinese virus due to hidden resentments.

  6. Half knowledge is very dangerous! Besdies names, we must remember now that todays world is very different and there is no surety that similar epedemics wont happen again. The epedemic has actually exposed the medical infra of the country. People here should be more worried about that.

    • @Sam – Sure!! India still has inadequate infrastructure!! After all! Black British Congress Mullas ruled India for decades!! The present government is doing what it can & should!! Perhaps, we can also ask the Vatican for some help ;))??!!

  7. Spanish Flu is not racist. African Swine Flu is not racist. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome is not racist. Even our Delhi belly isn’t racist. Chinese virus can never be racist. The world is not China. NO government can shut off people’s perception and minds. It indeed is a Chinese virus and China lied on so many counts that the whole world is suffering. WHO is equally culpable of criminal neglect.

  8. If one can have names like Spanish flu, Ebola virus, Nipah virus there is no reason why this cannot be called Wuhan virus, the name of the place where it most likely originated.

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