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US man's post on Indian real estate gets backlash
In his post, an X user wrote, “Since the whole world is just everybody's for the taking, I'm going to become an Indian slumlord and profit off their misery.”
Stock image. / istock
A social media post by an American man on the platform X (formerly Twitter) has drawn widespread criticism for suggesting that Americans exploit economic disparities to profit from India’s real estate market. The post has been widely condemned as racist and insensitive, sparking debates about wealth disparity and systemic racism.
The user, identified only as “Rich”, proposed a business idea to “buy up entire neighborhoods in India” using the strength of the US dollar and then raise rents significantly. In his post, Rich wrote, “Since the whole world is just everybody's for the taking, I'm going to become an Indian slumlord and profit off their misery.”
business idea: raising capital to buy up entire neighborhoods in India since our dollar goes so much further than theirs, then tripling their rents.
— Rich (@heywildrich) December 29, 2024
since the whole world is just everybody's for the taking, i'm going to become an Indian slumlord and profit off their misery.
Online backlash
The comment triggered a flurry of responses on X, with many users calling out its bigoted undertones. Some pointed out that Indian laws restrict foreign ownership of property, making Rich’s idea unfeasible. Others highlighted the rapid increase in India’s real estate prices, emphasizing that property ownership in the country has become unaffordable, even for some Americans.
“Fun fact – cost of property in India is much higher than rental yields can support. If you indeed did this, it will help out a lot of Indian property owners,” wrote one user.
Another user added, “I live in a tier-3 city in India, and the land price of my home is easily worth more than $600K USD, most likely higher than the one you are living in.”
Some users responded with alternative suggestions that highlighted social responsibility instead of exploitation. “What if we raised capital to select neighborhoods in India to feed and care for? Target areas that help other people and infuse them with cash directly. Pay young people fair wages to clean the streets, etc.,” one comment read.
Others pointed out broader economic trends, noting India’s real estate market is among the world’s most expensive. “India has the world's most expensive real estate. Americans will be lucky to buy even two houses there with USD. It has one of the world's highest income inequality rates,” a user noted.
The controversy comes amid heightened tensions over Indian immigration in the United States, particularly in light of Sriram Krishnan’s recent appointment as an AI advisor to the White House and discussions surrounding H1B visas.
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