Posted on 10/10/2011 9:58:22 AM PDT by MBT ARJUN
Hoshiarpur(Punjab)/Paris: Tales of heroism generally don't find place in French newspapers but the case of Rajinder Singh has been met with exceptional passion amid prevailing public anger over pick-pocketing, snatching and eve-teasing.
Indian immigrant Rajinder Singh alias Babbu, 33, died after some miscreants threw him out from a running metro train while defending a French woman.
"This is the first time I've seen such a strong reaction to the story of a death in our pages," said Antoine Barret, editor of the Daily Le Parisien.
Rajinder Singh was killed after he intervened to stop some Arab men molesting a French woman in city metro train.
An article describing Singh's simple life on Tuesday, titled "Babu, hero of the metro" drew more than 700 comments, with many readers offering to raise the 5,000 euros it would cost to send his body back home to India.
French ministers Marani and Frederick Mintra arrived at the metro station to pay homage to slain Babbu.
Transport minister Marani told media that Babbu was a hero and Paris Transport Authority will pay the flight fare for his family to transport his body to India. Culture minister Mintra said that Babbu truly represented the Indian culture.
It's worth mentioning here that Babbu came to France seven years back. He worked as a delivery boy who didn't know any language except Punjabi. He had to simultaneously work at two places as he had to arrange money for her sister's marriage back home as well as for his Paris expenses.
Paris police had recently arrested an accused in connection with the death of Babbu who intervened to stop him harassing a young woman on the metro.
When Singh, who came to France seven years ago from his native Punjab and was known to family and friends as “Babu”, tried to intervene, the attacker pulled him off the train, fought with him and then shoved him off the platform onto the tracks where he was electrocuted by the live rail.
Before the fatal incident that took his life, Babbu had shifted to a new house with his girlfriend Vimla.
Sad, sad story. He died a hero.
He was called “Babu” although his name was “Babbu.” That’s a nasty slang word, I think, for Indians. The French are strange.
Followers of the moon-god claim another victim they aren’t worthy to wipe the feet of.
Not even an non European newspaper can bring itself to say Muslim instead of Arab. Was it a Christian Arab? Certainly has the trademark of Islam written all over it.
Sikh’s are good, moral people, and know Islam’s true face better than most. It’s a shame that this had to happen to him. God bless him.
“it isn’t all immigrant in general who are source of trouble. Only a “certain type” of immigrants are.”
I remember seeing footage of a woman preaching the Gospel in front of a militant Islamic mosque/prayer center in an Islamic section of London. She was a Caribbean immigrant to the UK, doing something no Briton had the inclination or guts to do.
So you could not be more right, and good, religious immigrants are desperately needed by the increasingly secular cultures in the West.
Those days are long gone.
Most Europeans of today are sh!t scared of Arab and Turk immigrants.
You can bet Charles Martel is turning in his grave.
India is standing up to the Somali pirates. Indians are standing up to these thugs on the trains. If the hope for civilization is heading east, I pray that it will be in good hands. Sadly, it looks like India is better able to carry freedom forward than either Europe or half of the United States. I may move there is we keep falling and they keep rising to the challenge.
Thanks MBT ARJUN
Rest in peace, Rajinder “Babu” Singh.
A true hero who gave his life for another.
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French public transport is plagued by these kinds of attacks on women. The Sarko government needs to take stronger control of the situation. Uncontrolled immigration from muslim countries, young muslim
Men allowed to continue their culture’s violence towards women on French soil, is a major security and quality of life problem.
I’m happy to learn that the French Government has come forward to support Babu’s family and send his remains back to his family in India. But Sarko will have to be more pro-active if he wants to win a 2nd term.
A very sad story. Poor, poor man. And what a hero. Maybe he’ll be laid to rest in the Pantheon!
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