An Indian leader is inviting Shanes Jones to meet, watch a Bollywood movie, and have an "intellectual discussion" after the embattled New Zealand First minister made controversial remarks about the ethnic community.
Jones has been under fire over the last week after defending an Immigration New Zealand policy by saying those who disagreed with it could "catch the next flight home".
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The comments came as the Indian community were angered by the policy which made it more difficult for those with arranged marriages to bring their spouses to New Zealand.
Mandeep Singh Bela, coordinator of the Union Network of Migrants and the Indian Workers Association, told Newshub he was fearful the rhetoric could stoke hate crimes against the Indian community.
"To 'take the next flight home' is quite racist and discriminatory towards the Indian community. The last thing we want to see is what happened in Christchurch."
The Regional Economic Development Minister says that is a "Bollywood overreaction" and doesn't believe he has been racist.
Sunil Kaushal, the Waitakere Indian Association President, told The AM Show on Wednesday that he understood Jones was allowed an opinion, but said it had been hurtful to his community.
"He's got his own opinion, which is fair enough, but I think he has hurt the Indian community for the second time and this saga cannot go on," Kaushal said.
"There is about 5 percent of the New Zealand population that is Kiwi-Indian and we contribute about six to 8 percent of the GDP, so that is a big number.
Kaushal said he felt the Immigration NZ policy and Jones' comments were unfair as they didn't recognise the values of the Indian community. He said Kiwi-Indians have been in New Zealand for more than a century and reminded Jones that while he may be Māori, his ancestors came from somewhere as well.
"It is not fair as the cultural take on marriages is very different to the set of values Shane Jones is talking about," he told The AM Show.
Kaushal proposed setting up a meeting with stakeholders, watching a Bollywood movie, sitting down for a feast, and having an "intellectual discussion" to stop the tit-for-tat.
"What we are saying to Shane Jones is look, rather than talking about this and seeking media attention, why don't you come over, we have a good intellectual discussion, watch a Bollywood movie. We will tell you what our culture is about, we are not trying to overpower someone else's culture
"At least have a discussion, have his concerns raised, have our concerns raised, have a good intellectual discussion so that he can make informed decisions, informed statements."
Kaushal also mentioned maybe they could watch British film Bend It Like Beckham - which features the daughter of Punjabi Sikhs breaking with tradition by joining a female football league.
Jones has remained adamant throughout the controversy that he is speaking on behalf of New Zealanders who want more control on immigration.
"I'm giving a voice to the anxieties of hundreds of thousands of Kiwis who upon learning we're now reaching 5 million people, substantially grown by immigration, they're actually very happy that they have a voice," he said on Tuesday.
Newshub.
