The Ugly Face of Racism in Delhi: Cry of North-east People

Racial discrimination is where a person or a group is treated differently because of their race, colour, descent, nationality, ethnicity with an intention to impair their human rights and fundamental freedom.

From the very beginning, when India got freedom from foreign rule, a specific quote was placed in favour of India being a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic and Republic Country, in the Constitution as “We the People of India...” and the Article 15 in The Constitution of India 1949 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

But has this really prohibited racism in our country? Why is it then that so often we hear the news of racial discrimination against class, creed, race & religion? Be it in colleges, office premises, holy places, market places or street, people from different parts of our country have always been jibed at some particular time in some particular geography.

In south India, people from the north are subjected and in north India, people from the north-east & south India are often taken a dig at. This is of course restricted to a certain group of people only, who are unmindful of the other’s sensitivity. But it triggers off a whole lot of other repercussions in the society that we live in. The most recent case was the tragic death of a young boy Nido Tania from Arunachal Pradesh.

Every year, thousands of students from north-east India come to the ‘developed states’ seeking higher education and better employment opportunities.

A relative low growth and a weak educational system in North-East have forced many students from this belt to migrate to the metros. Their dreams are consistent with that of a conventional student – job prospects and speedy growth in future. But neither are they safe nor treated equally by the locals and in the end somehow have to face racial discrimination.

Day after day, year after year, when helpless students of the northeast are meted out worse behaviour by residents of the city, no one speaks out. Nido Tania's death was a case of downright discrimination and racism. The recent death of the Arunachal boy wreaked havoc and hundreds of furious North-East students came to the streets to protest against the hate crime incident. Son of Congress MLA Nido Pavitra, the 19 year old was allegedly beaten to death by a group of men following an altercation and is the most recent example of racism existing in the country.

In recent years, cases of sexual harassment of women within the city have been undoubtedly increasing, and almost every north-eastern girl in the city complains of being teased because of their looks and being referred by the derogatory remark 'chinky'.

Under fire over repeated attacks in the city on people from North-East region, Delhi Police on February 16, 2014 announced a slew of steps including setting up of a new unit and a helpline number to address any grievance faced by them.

It's really a shame that the capital of the country is so hostile to its own people. Despite of all the measures taken by the Government, till date no changes are visible in terms of providing equal rights. It is really sad that belonging to the same country these people have been discriminated, taunted, molested, raped and even murdered, and all because of their outward appearances since ages.

If situation remains same in the near future then it won’t be long that we will lose a part of our soil to neighbouring China who is more than happy accept it.

So if you are from the Generation Y, and believe in equality for all, irrespective of where you come from, what your colour or religious belief is, take a pledge to believe & practice equality for all in all spheres of life. Imagine the world you will live in, if everyone looks upon the other with respect & kindness.