Baltimore bridge collapse: Netizens slam racist cartoon mocking Dali's Indian crew

Baltimore: A cartoon that was posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Foxford Comics, a US-based webcomic known for politically incorrect cartoons, hours after the bridge collapse in Baltimore has attracted widespread criticism from netizens.

Targetting the Indian crew members onboard the Dali container ship which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore following a power loss, forcing the closure of one of the busiest ports on the US Eastern Seaboard, the racist cartoon showed half-naked, brown-faced crew members wearing dhotis and standing in dirty water fearing for their life as the ship was about to ram into the bridge.

The animation was accompanied by a voiceover from a video of two Indian men hurling abuses at each other in broken English, further reinforcing Western stereotypes about India.

Foxford Comics shared the cartoon on X with the comment: "Last known recording from inside the Dali moments before impact." While many users pointed out that the ship had one local (American) pilot responsible for operating the ship, some others posted a video of the Maryland Governor praising the Indian crew.

One user, @TheCineprism, said: "Prejudice can cloud judgment to the point where one even ignores the fact that the Indian crew of the ship were the ones to take immediate action to save lives and minimize the disaster's impact, something rightly acknowledged by POTUS Biden. Having said that this isn't merely jumping to conclusions; but goes to show how Racism against Indians has been normalized and since Musk's takeover, this platform has become a breeding ground to spread racism and hatred against Indians. It's high time this needs to be called out."

Another user said: "Despite the ship being steered by a local American, the heroism of the all-Indian crew during the Baltimore bridge incident is undeniable. This highlights the importance of recognising and addressing systemic issues like racism."

Of the 21 crew members on the ship, 20 are from India, Randhir Jaiswal, US' Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told reporters, saying one was slightly injured and needed stitches but all are in good shape and good health.