US vice-consul Maureen Chao on Saturday regretted having used the words “dark and dirty” to describe Tamils in the course of her speech at a private university in suburban Kattankulathur.
Addressing a “semester abroad programme orientation” at SRM University on Friday, Ms Chao got a bit carried away, perhaps by the cheering from the large gathering of students, and made a hurried trip back in time to recall her own trip to India as a student two decades ago.
She said she took a 24-hour train trip from Delhi to Orissa but the journey consumed thrice that time, and when she finally reached her destination her skin “became dirty and dark, like
the Tamilians”. A newspaper reported her “racist” comment Saturday morning.
Responding swiftly, the US consulate-general here issued a statement regretting vice-consul Chao’s indiscretion. Referring to her speech describing “positive memories” from her own study-abroad experiences, it said, “Ms Chao made an inappropriate comment.”
“Ms Chao deeply regrets if her unfortunate remarks offended anyone, as that was certainly not her intent,” the USCG statement said, recalling that during her recent visit to India, secretary of state Hillary Clinton had noted that the US-India partnership “is based on our shared values of democracy, liberty and respect for religious and cultural diversity”. “The US consulate in Chennai and the US mission in India are committed to upholding these shared values.”
A late evening release from the state government said Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa wrote to consul-general Jennifer McIntyre taking strong exception to Ms Chao’s comment and demanding an apology. “This remark, which smacks of racism, is highly condemnable. You will agree that this remark of the vice-consul is an affront to all Tamils. I would like to request you to impress upon Ms Maureen Chao that she has to withdraw this remark and also apologise for having made such a comment on the Tamils.”
Sources, however, said the USCG had issued its “regret” statement even before the chief minister’s letter.