Are we racist? What would you do? Any Indian people here?

[Anonymous]

I think most folks have covered the move out part..

On the swastika:

https://journalsofindia.com/ancient-indian-symbol-of-the-swastika/

The swastika is commonly seen in India today as a ubiquitous symbol adorning temples, homes, vehicles, and on walls above entrances and doors and it carries a purely auspicious and welcoming meaning.

Unlike the black hakenkreuz of the Nazis, the swastika used by Indians is usually red or yellow in colour, is not tilted to the right, and has dots at each corner, which are believed to represent the four Vedas.
Swastika symbol adoption by Hitler-

Despite its association for centuries with the symbolism and practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions, many people in Europe and America see the swastika only as the defining symbol of the antisemitic, racist, fascist Third Reich (1933-1945) of Adolf Hitler.

[Anonymous]

From the Holocaust museum website -
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/history-of-the-swastika

The Origins of the Swastika
The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means “good fortune” or “well-being." The motif (a hooked cross) appears to have first been used in Eurasia, as early as 7000 years ago, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky. To this day, it is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. It is a common sight on temples or houses in India or Indonesia. Swastikas also have an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures.

Its “Discovery” and Meanings in Modern Europe
The symbol experienced a resurgence in the nineteenth century, as a result of growing European interest in the ancient civilizations of the Near East and India. During his extensive excavations, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the hooked cross on the site of ancient Troy. He connected it with similar shapes found on pottery in Germany and speculated that it was a “significant religious symbol of our remote ancestors.” Other European scholars and thinkers linked the symbol to a shared Aryan culture that spanned Europe and Asia.

In the beginning of the twentieth century the swastika was widely used in Europe. It had numerous meanings, the most common being a symbol of good luck and auspiciousness.

The Appropriation of the Swastika as a Nazi Symbol
Picture postcard showing a crowd of saluting Germans superimposed on an enlarged image of Hitler and a Nazi stormtrooper. [LCID: 14951]
Nazi propaganda postcard featuring Adolf Hitler, a swastika flag, and a member of the SA
Nazi propaganda postcard showing a crowd of saluting Germans superimposed on an enlarged image of Adolf Hitler with a member of the SA (Storm Trooper) who holds a swastika flag. Munich, Germany, ca. 1932.

However, the work of European linguists and other scholars was taken up by racist groups, for whom the swastika was a symbol of “Aryan identity” and German nationalist pride. This conjecture of Aryan cultural descent of the German people is likely one of the main reasons why the Nazi Party formally adopted the swastika or Hakenkreuz (Ger., hooked cross) as its symbol in 1920.

The Nazi Party was not the only party to use the swastika in Germany. After World War I, a number of far-right nationalist movements adopted the swastika. As a symbol, it became associated with the idea of a racially “pure” state. By the time the Nazis gained control of Germany, the connotations of the swastika had forever changed.

In Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler wrote:

“I myself, meanwhile, after innumerable attempts, had laid down a final form; a flag with a red background, a white disk, and a black swastika in the middle. After long trials I also found a definite proportion between the size of the flag and the size of the white disk, as well as the shape and thickness of the swastika.”

Nazi banner
The color scheme for the Nazi flag intentionally drew on the colors of the flag of Imperial Germany (1871–1918), which still resonated with many Germans who rejected democracy and the Weimar Republic. The color combination with the swastika made for a powerful logo, a trademark that became indelibly linked with the Nazi Party. Most political parties in democratic Germany did not have a political logo; the Communist Party and the Nazi Party were exceptions.

The swastika became the most recognizable symbol of Nazi propaganda, appearing on the flag referred to by Hitler in Mein Kampf, as well as on election posters, arm bands, medallions, and badges for military and other organizations. A potent symbol intended to elicit pride among Aryans, the swastika also struck terror into Jews and others deemed enemies of Nazi Germany.

Nazi Symbol: The Swastika in the Third Reich
Shortly after taking power in 1933, Hitler’s regime replaced the constitutionally-mandated black-red-gold flag of the Weimar Republic that had been linked with Germany’s democratic traditions. On March 12, 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg and Adolf Hitler issued a decree stating that henceforth the old German Imperial flag (black-white-red) was to be flown together with the swastika flag. “These flags,” the edict spelled out,

“connect the glorious past of the German Empire to the powerful rebirth of the German nation. Together they embody the power of the state and the inner solidarity of the national circles of the German people!”

Hitler Youth rally

Two months later, on May 19, 1933, the Nazi government prohibited the “symbols of German history, of the German state, and of the national revolution from being publicly used in a way that was likely to damage the feeling of dignity of these symbols.” The legislation was aimed at preventing private advertisers, companies, and others from using the swastika and other Nazi symbols or images in marketing their commercial goods and services without the approval of the regime. At that point the German market was flooded with products—including coffee, cigarettes, and cake pans—emblazoned with swastikas, Hitler’s face, or other symbols. The new law made the producers of unauthorized products subject to criminal proceedings.

The Reich Flag and the Nuremberg Race Laws
At the annual Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg in September 1935, the German government passed new legislation aimed at further disenfranchising Germany’s Jews. Included among the so-called Nuremberg Race Laws was the Reich Flag Law (September 15, 1935) that declared that henceforth the swastika flag would constitute the official national flag of the German Reich. That same day, the government passed the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, which prohibited marriages and sexual relations between citizens of “German or those of kindred blood” and Jews. A further stipulation spelled out that Jews were banned from raising the new German flag (the swastika) and displaying the national colors.

The impetus behind the Reich Flag Law was the Nazi regime’s anger over events in New York in the summer and fall of 1935. On July 26, several hundred anti-Nazi demonstrators assembled around the German passenger liner, the SS Bremen, then docked at New York’s pier to protest recent anti-Jewish incidents in Berlin. A group of protesters ripped the swastika banner from the ship’s bow and tossed it into the river. New York police arrested several of the demonstrators. The German government promptly issued a formal protest to US authorities.

In response to a judicial ruling that freed most of the defendants, the Nazi government passed the Reich Flag Law.

Postwar Bans on the Use of the Swastika and Cultural Controversies
Following Nazi Germany’s defeat in 1945, the Allied governments ruling the nation outlawed Nazi organizations. Their symbols and propaganda were removed and further dissemination criminalized. Subsequent German governments continued the ban on Nazi symbols and propaganda, including the swastika. Today in Germany and other European states, public display of Nazi symbols, including on the Internet, is prohibited by law and individuals violating such terms are subject to criminal proceedings.

In the United States, it is legal to display Nazi symbols and propaganda because of the country’s traditions and laws protecting free speech.

At various times and in various nations, the swastika has become a controversial cultural icon. Some motorcycle gangs in the United States beginning in the 1950s wore Nazi insignia to highlight their outlaw nature. In the late 1970s, some punk rock performers and enthusiasts openly displayed the swastika as a symbol of youthful rebellion against the status quo.

Sometimes, Nazi symbols take on neutral or even positive connotations in countries with little or no connection to the history of Nazi ideology and mass murder. The swastika as a symbol of Nazism, other Nazi signs, and even the figure of Adolf Hitler have taken on new life in some countries, where they have come to signify national unity, strength, discipline, anti-colonialism, and law and order. Symbols such as the swastika have a long history. To avoid misunderstanding and misuse, individuals should consider the context and past use of Nazi symbols and symbols in general.

Last Edited: Aug 7, 2017
Author(s): United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think most folks have covered the move out part..

On the swastika:

https://journalsofindia.com/ancient-indian-symbol-of-the-swastika/

The swastika is commonly seen in India today as a ubiquitous symbol adorning temples, homes, vehicles, and on walls above entrances and doors and it carries a purely auspicious and welcoming meaning.

Unlike the black hakenkreuz of the Nazis, the swastika used by Indians is usually red or yellow in colour, is not tilted to the right, and has dots at each corner, which are believed to represent the four Vedas.
Swastika symbol adoption by Hitler-

Despite its association for centuries with the symbolism and practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions, many people in Europe and America see the swastika only as the defining symbol of the antisemitic, racist, fascist Third Reich (1933-1945) of Adolf Hitler.

Yes, I understand what the swastika means in India. But Dubai is NOT INDIA. Just like the US is NOT INDIA. If drawing swastikas over someone's door is wrong in the US, which is not India, then it should be wrong in any country that is...not India.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the Holocaust museum website -
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/history-of-the-swastika

The Origins of the Swastika
The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means “good fortune” or “well-being." The motif (a hooked cross) appears to have first been used in Eurasia, as early as 7000 years ago, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky. To this day, it is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. It is a common sight on temples or houses in India or Indonesia. Swastikas also have an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures.

Its “Discovery” and Meanings in Modern Europe
The symbol experienced a resurgence in the nineteenth century, as a result of growing European interest in the ancient civilizations of the Near East and India. During his extensive excavations, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann discovered the hooked cross on the site of ancient Troy. He connected it with similar shapes found on pottery in Germany and speculated that it was a “significant religious symbol of our remote ancestors.” Other European scholars and thinkers linked the symbol to a shared Aryan culture that spanned Europe and Asia.

In the beginning of the twentieth century the swastika was widely used in Europe. It had numerous meanings, the most common being a symbol of good luck and auspiciousness.

The Appropriation of the Swastika as a Nazi Symbol
Picture postcard showing a crowd of saluting Germans superimposed on an enlarged image of Hitler and a Nazi stormtrooper. [LCID: 14951]
Nazi propaganda postcard featuring Adolf Hitler, a swastika flag, and a member of the SA
Nazi propaganda postcard showing a crowd of saluting Germans superimposed on an enlarged image of Adolf Hitler with a member of the SA (Storm Trooper) who holds a swastika flag. Munich, Germany, ca. 1932.

However, the work of European linguists and other scholars was taken up by racist groups, for whom the swastika was a symbol of “Aryan identity” and German nationalist pride. This conjecture of Aryan cultural descent of the German people is likely one of the main reasons why the Nazi Party formally adopted the swastika or Hakenkreuz (Ger., hooked cross) as its symbol in 1920.

The Nazi Party was not the only party to use the swastika in Germany. After World War I, a number of far-right nationalist movements adopted the swastika. As a symbol, it became associated with the idea of a racially “pure” state. By the time the Nazis gained control of Germany, the connotations of the swastika had forever changed.

In Mein Kampf, Adolf Hitler wrote:

“I myself, meanwhile, after innumerable attempts, had laid down a final form; a flag with a red background, a white disk, and a black swastika in the middle. After long trials I also found a definite proportion between the size of the flag and the size of the white disk, as well as the shape and thickness of the swastika.”

Nazi banner
The color scheme for the Nazi flag intentionally drew on the colors of the flag of Imperial Germany (1871–1918), which still resonated with many Germans who rejected democracy and the Weimar Republic. The color combination with the swastika made for a powerful logo, a trademark that became indelibly linked with the Nazi Party. Most political parties in democratic Germany did not have a political logo; the Communist Party and the Nazi Party were exceptions.

The swastika became the most recognizable symbol of Nazi propaganda, appearing on the flag referred to by Hitler in Mein Kampf, as well as on election posters, arm bands, medallions, and badges for military and other organizations. A potent symbol intended to elicit pride among Aryans, the swastika also struck terror into Jews and others deemed enemies of Nazi Germany.

Nazi Symbol: The Swastika in the Third Reich
Shortly after taking power in 1933, Hitler’s regime replaced the constitutionally-mandated black-red-gold flag of the Weimar Republic that had been linked with Germany’s democratic traditions. On March 12, 1933, President Paul von Hindenburg and Adolf Hitler issued a decree stating that henceforth the old German Imperial flag (black-white-red) was to be flown together with the swastika flag. “These flags,” the edict spelled out,

“connect the glorious past of the German Empire to the powerful rebirth of the German nation. Together they embody the power of the state and the inner solidarity of the national circles of the German people!”

Hitler Youth rally

Two months later, on May 19, 1933, the Nazi government prohibited the “symbols of German history, of the German state, and of the national revolution from being publicly used in a way that was likely to damage the feeling of dignity of these symbols.” The legislation was aimed at preventing private advertisers, companies, and others from using the swastika and other Nazi symbols or images in marketing their commercial goods and services without the approval of the regime. At that point the German market was flooded with products—including coffee, cigarettes, and cake pans—emblazoned with swastikas, Hitler’s face, or other symbols. The new law made the producers of unauthorized products subject to criminal proceedings.

The Reich Flag and the Nuremberg Race Laws
At the annual Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg in September 1935, the German government passed new legislation aimed at further disenfranchising Germany’s Jews. Included among the so-called Nuremberg Race Laws was the Reich Flag Law (September 15, 1935) that declared that henceforth the swastika flag would constitute the official national flag of the German Reich. That same day, the government passed the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, which prohibited marriages and sexual relations between citizens of “German or those of kindred blood” and Jews. A further stipulation spelled out that Jews were banned from raising the new German flag (the swastika) and displaying the national colors.

The impetus behind the Reich Flag Law was the Nazi regime’s anger over events in New York in the summer and fall of 1935. On July 26, several hundred anti-Nazi demonstrators assembled around the German passenger liner, the SS Bremen, then docked at New York’s pier to protest recent anti-Jewish incidents in Berlin. A group of protesters ripped the swastika banner from the ship’s bow and tossed it into the river. New York police arrested several of the demonstrators. The German government promptly issued a formal protest to US authorities.

In response to a judicial ruling that freed most of the defendants, the Nazi government passed the Reich Flag Law.

Postwar Bans on the Use of the Swastika and Cultural Controversies
Following Nazi Germany’s defeat in 1945, the Allied governments ruling the nation outlawed Nazi organizations. Their symbols and propaganda were removed and further dissemination criminalized. Subsequent German governments continued the ban on Nazi symbols and propaganda, including the swastika. Today in Germany and other European states, public display of Nazi symbols, including on the Internet, is prohibited by law and individuals violating such terms are subject to criminal proceedings.

In the United States, it is legal to display Nazi symbols and propaganda because of the country’s traditions and laws protecting free speech.

At various times and in various nations, the swastika has become a controversial cultural icon. Some motorcycle gangs in the United States beginning in the 1950s wore Nazi insignia to highlight their outlaw nature. In the late 1970s, some punk rock performers and enthusiasts openly displayed the swastika as a symbol of youthful rebellion against the status quo.

Sometimes, Nazi symbols take on neutral or even positive connotations in countries with little or no connection to the history of Nazi ideology and mass murder. The swastika as a symbol of Nazism, other Nazi signs, and even the figure of Adolf Hitler have taken on new life in some countries, where they have come to signify national unity, strength, discipline, anti-colonialism, and law and order. Symbols such as the swastika have a long history. To avoid misunderstanding and misuse, individuals should consider the context and past use of Nazi symbols and symbols in general.

Last Edited: Aug 7, 2017
Author(s): United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC

What is your point? The swastika is a symbol used today by neo-Nazi terrorist groups. Most of the world understands it this way. You haven't ever lived in another country, have you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think most folks have covered the move out part..

On the swastika:

https://journalsofindia.com/ancient-indian-symbol-of-the-swastika/

The swastika is commonly seen in India today as a ubiquitous symbol adorning temples, homes, vehicles, and on walls above entrances and doors and it carries a purely auspicious and welcoming meaning.

Unlike the black hakenkreuz of the Nazis, the swastika used by Indians is usually red or yellow in colour, is not tilted to the right, and has dots at each corner, which are believed to represent the four Vedas.
Swastika symbol adoption by Hitler-

Despite its association for centuries with the symbolism and practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions, many people in Europe and America see the swastika only as the defining symbol of the antisemitic, racist, fascist Third Reich (1933-1945) of Adolf Hitler.

Yes, I understand what the swastika means in India. But Dubai is NOT INDIA. Just like the US is NOT INDIA. If drawing swastikas over someone's door is wrong in the US, which is not India, then it should be wrong in any country that is...not India.

Let us know how it went.

[Anonymous]

Please be careful OP. Keep in mind that women are incredibly vulnerable in that society. Plus you’re Jewish. That’s a scary combo for you.

Sadly, much of the Gulf abuses women and children, polygamy is common, many South Asian workers live like slaves, domestic workers face abuse and fear of rape, they abuse poorer fellow Muslims and so much awfulness. Freedom of religion doesn’t exist.
If this guy physically hurt, there’s little chance you’d have any justice. Stay safe, get out of there and never go back. It’s a shiny hell on earth.

And before I’m accused of racism, I’m an Arabic speaker with roots in another Arab country where wealthy Gulf men like to have summer “marriages” with young and poor virgins.

[Anonymous]

Try to find the German guy and complain about the smoke. I bet the Arab guy is paying kickbacks or doing some sort of favors for the Indian guy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmmmm this is tricky. I'm Indian American and yes, that is a Hindu symbol that can be found all over India and has peaceful connotations there so they are not making that up. Obviously it's a hateful symbol in the US and Europe. So I can see why everyone is convinced that you are creating a problem that isn't there...But I agree that you have hostility with the neighbor, and the neighbor isn't Indian, and is probably trying to mess with you by drawing that symbol. He's using the prevalence of Indian people to try and get away with it. So IMO you are a little bit trapped. Don't focus so much on the symbol, but be very watchful of this neighbor. I can only see the hostility escalating.

+1 to all of this

It is a ubiquitous symbol in India

But would be odd to draw one over someone else's door event there, IMO. Esp a random "foreigner" as you would be perceived there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try to find the German guy and complain about the smoke. I bet the Arab guy is paying kickbacks or doing some sort of favors for the Indian guy.

+1
I did think that Indians were treated very poorly in Dubai, so it surprises me that people are supporting them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think most folks have covered the move out part..

On the swastika:

https://journalsofindia.com/ancient-indian-symbol-of-the-swastika/

The swastika is commonly seen in India today as a ubiquitous symbol adorning temples, homes, vehicles, and on walls above entrances and doors and it carries a purely auspicious and welcoming meaning.

Unlike the black hakenkreuz of the Nazis, the swastika used by Indians is usually red or yellow in colour, is not tilted to the right, and has dots at each corner, which are believed to represent the four Vedas.
Swastika symbol adoption by Hitler-

Despite its association for centuries with the symbolism and practice of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religions, many people in Europe and America see the swastika only as the defining symbol of the antisemitic, racist, fascist Third Reich (1933-1945) of Adolf Hitler.

Yes, I understand what the swastika means in India. But Dubai is NOT INDIA. Just like the US is NOT INDIA. If drawing swastikas over someone's door is wrong in the US, which is not India, then it should be wrong in any country that is...not India.

First, the Hindu swastika and the Nazi swastika are very different looking. Google to see the difference. Once you know the difference, there is no way you’d mistake one for the other.

Second, drawing a Hindu swastika is acceptable anywhere a Hindu is living, so it can be drawn over a door in Dubai.

If what was drawn over your door was actually the Hindu swastika, then maybe someone is trying to initiate a peace gesture to you, and so you don’t need to take offense.

However, if what was drawn over your door was a Nazi swastika, then you have a different issue to handle.

[Anonymous]

Usually Hindus do not draw swastikas over other people’s doors.

I’m guessing what was drawn over your door was a Nazi swastika. Take a picture to show to management to confirm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please be careful OP. Keep in mind that women are incredibly vulnerable in that society. Plus you’re Jewish. That’s a scary combo for you.

Sadly, much of the Gulf abuses women and children, polygamy is common, many South Asian workers live like slaves, domestic workers face abuse and fear of rape, they abuse poorer fellow Muslims and so much awfulness. Freedom of religion doesn’t exist.
If this guy physically hurt, there’s little chance you’d have any justice. Stay safe, get out of there and never go back. It’s a shiny hell on earth.

And before I’m accused of racism, I’m an Arabic speaker with roots in another Arab country where wealthy Gulf men like to have summer “marriages” with young and poor virgins.

This.

I’m shocked any Jewish family would opt to spend time in Dubai.

I’m convinced your Arab neighbor did it—or they complained to management and a worker did it on their behalf. Your neighbor might be well liked by management, and they might be in cahoots trying to force you out.

It wasn’t mud; it was excrement.

I’ve encountered far too many antisemites who were Arab men, so I would be careful…particularly in Dubai.

[Anonymous]

You’re not racist OP! They’re bigots. Move as soon as you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are expats and are in Dubai for three months, in a rented apartment, before going back to the country where we spend most of the year in September.

We are Jewish. This is relevant, I think.

This is supposed to be a non-smoking floor. The man across the hall, however, is a chain smoker, and in the evenings opens his apartment door wide so that the smoke and fumes from his cooking can flood into the hallway, thus entering our apartment too. I have asked him to please close the door several times, as I don't want our family exposed to the smoke (and it is a non-smoking floor). He was quite rude, and I did report him to management.

Yesterday we noticed a swastika above our doorway. It appears to have been written by a finer dipped in mud or some other fluid.

I was very upset and called the management, who were dismissive and unconcerned. One of them sent me a message later in the day advising that "Ma'am, it is a peaceful sign in India." I messaged him back that we are not in India, and in any case, it is a sign of hate and terrorism in many countries of the world. And they advertise and lease their units to expats from many countries. Plus this happened after the recent incident of reporting the across-the-hall neighbor for the smoking. The management messaged back that "Ma'am, it is nothing. Many of our cleaners are from India." And then refused to respond further. I didn't know what to make of this message or why the nationality of the Indian cleaners was relevant. He refused to answer any of my other messages.

I was so upset. One of the cleaners in the building, a nice lady who was sympathetic, told me that the "top boss" of the property management company is German and that the people who work in the office and in customer care positions are all Indian (this may be relevant). She gave me the German man's first name, saying I should speak to him. I phoned the main office number and first calmly tried to explain over the phone how upset I was about the swastika, and the man began shouting at me that we are "trouble makers" due to the issues with the smoker, and that the swastika meant nothing. I asked him how he could know that, and how he didn't know that the smoking man hadn't written it as a sign of aggression (if it matters, the smoking man is Arabic, not Indian; the man in the management office was Indian). He spoke over me, in a loud disrespectful tone, and then I told him I wanted to speak to the German man, naming him. The Indian man in the office told me this was impossible and he didn't want to "bother" his boss.

I did tell him that I believed a German person would take this issue a bit more seriously than this man appeared to be doing, that we had lived in Germany and Europe and know this is considered a hate crime there.

Then he shouted at me that I am a racist and hung up.

We couldn't find the German man's contact info online on the company's website, just the main office number that was gatekept by the man who had shouted at me.

So I have googled and yes, a swastika does mean something different in India. But we are not in India. We are in Dubai, an Arabic country. And it just appeared over our door in the past few days. At home, we might call the police, but this seems inadvisable in Dubai.

What would you do?

Is it really common for Indian cleaners to put this sign on the wall or over an apartment door?

Look, you are in a different country. You need to keep your head low and not act like you are in the US. I am not excusing the swastika and it was quite possibly your smoker who drew it. That symbol and antisemitism are common in middle eastern countries. And it means exactly what you think it means. But you are not in the US and you do not have the same rights and protections, and you are not subject to the same cultural norms.

[Anonymous]

Nothing you said gives any indication you are racist.

It would make zero sense for a cleaner to put a swastika over your door, right after you had a conflict with your neighbor. Why would a cleaner risk their job like that?

The only thing that makes sense here is that your neighbor put the swastika over your door. You complained to him, this was his "F you" in response. And he wanted it to hurt and scare you.

Do you think he will stop at the "F you" swastika? Is it a single act of retaliation, or the beginning? I would ask yourself that question, and let that guide how you move forward. Knowing that you have an aggressive ass who thinks that rules don't apply to him as a neighbor. Is he fixated on making your life difficult, or is this just his way of trying to get you to shut up and leave him alone? I think it could really be either.

The guy calling you racist, it sounds like he was just looking for a way to shut you up and end the conversation. It sounds like the management office has no interest in enforcing the no smoking rule and just wants you to stop complaining, and is telling you whatever they think will shut you up (it's a peaceful symbol in India! you're racist!).