Shane Jones comments deeply disappointing

Sometime back I wrote an article describing the Maori world view using the famous Maori proverb

He Aha Te Mea Nui O Te Ao (What is the most important thing in the world? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata (it is the people, it is the people, it is the people).

As New Zealanders recall and mourn the unprecedented and tragic 15 March 2019 terrorist attack, it is deeply disappointing to hear racist comments made by New Zealand First Cabinet Minister Shane Jones against the Indian community.

The New Zealand National Party and our leader Simon Bridges consider comments made by Mr Jones over the weekend that Indian students have ruined our academic institutions as completely unacceptable.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern needs to reprimand her Minister for these comments which he has repeated several times. They are wrong and hurtful to Kiwi Indians.

Bizarrely - they come at the same time as New Zealand First Leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was in India claiming it is ‘a priority relationship for New Zealand’.

Mr Jones, a Harvard University alumni, will do well to understand that any migrant earns their right to enter New Zealand and they continue to do so by being law abiding residents, paying their taxes and contributing to New Zealand.

As we approach the one year anniversary of the 15 March terrorist attack, let us stand together against racism of any kind and deliver a clear message during the 2020 general election that racism has no place in New Zealand.

-Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi