Coronavirus: Indian Idol fame Meiyang Chang called Corona by two men on bike

Singer-actor Meiyang Chang, who rose to fame after participating in Sony TV’s popular singing reality show ‘Indian Idol 3’ has recently faced racism as two guys called him ‘Corona’.

In an interview with Bombay Times, Meiyang narrated the ordeal. He said, “I have been called Chinese, Chinki and Nepali in the past. I feel that as a country, we are casually racist, be it on the basis of colour, caste, or ethnicity. Of late, my friends have been teasing me saying, ‘Chang se door raho’. Of course, I know that they don’t mean any harm and there’s no ulterior motive; it’s all in good fun. Trouble starts when random people do it with malicious intent.”

Meiyang Chang called Corona by two men

He added, “I go for a jog every day near my house in Mumbai. The other day, two guys sped past me on a bike, screaming ‘corona’ and laughing. I wanted to scream back and hurl the choicest of gaalis, but I didn’t see any point in it. How do you punish people for their stupidity or ignorance? Over the years, I have become used to these comments and yes, they are hurtful. I try to move on and be optimistic, but it does affect you.”

Chang further added, “In the current situation, all expats are looked upon with suspicion, but ‘gorey log’ still don’t face as much discrimination as us. He is fine with people wanting to keep a safe distance from him. “We need to practise social distancing, so it’s fine. Being stared at for looking Chinese or people being wary of us in this situation is also understandable, but don’t call us names. That’s unfair.”

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“I am Indian and my genes, Chinese. I call myself Indian Chinese. Those who take pleasure in calling me Chinese, please continue to do so, but don’t forget to add ‘Indian’ before that. I expect a little sensitivity from people, especially when the world is fighting a pandemic, ” he said.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stands at 513. Eleven people have succumbed to the virus till now.