RACISM AGAINST NORTHEASTERN PEOPLE IS A DISEASE OF THE MANILAND

For the people living east of the Chicken Neck Corridor, being Indian is still a predicament of reality once they step out to the rest of the country. The recent news about the Malviya Nagar incident and another assault of a Manipuri woman are testimonies of this. Such reports of assault and potential discrimination against Northeast people are not new. They span a variety, from often being laughed at and belittled to even cases of murder. The whole Northeast remembers Nido Tania to this day, even if the rest of the country has forgotten. Such cases often stem from physical features uniquely mongoloid, their cultures and food habits, and from the region's socio-ethnic context. Eight states in the Northeast, yet the rest of the country still struggles to connect with them, and it is disheartening. But this is also about power dynamics, often overlooked with mere negligence.

A report by Northeast Centres and Helpline 2009-10 mentioned 86% of Northeast people facing racial discrimination in metro cities of the country. Racism against Northeasterners peaked during the COVID era, according to a 2021 report by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). And yet, the Bezbaruah Committee, which was formed way back in 2014, had even acknowledged the need for several measures to ensure such racial incidents against the Northeastern people are averted. The committee recommended several measures, including integration through awareness-raising, legal measures, and strengthening the relevant institutions, among others. But so far, no concrete measures to address this issue have been taken.

A serious lack and drag to address this racial issue is apathy, which amounts to institutionalised racism. India proudly calls itself the largest democracy and the pioneer of unity in diversity. Article 14 of the Indian Constitution guarantees Equality before the law. Article 15 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Then there is Section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with offences based on race. But these are not enough to check this issue. Why? Because of institutional failure!

India aims to achieve Viksit Bharat by 2047. Without the Northeast, this is not possible. Five Northeastern states are among the top literate states in India, according to the 2023-24 Periodic Labour Force Survey. This suggests a pool of eligible Human Resources which can drive the nation forward. Northeast India is a vital strategic region bordering several countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. India's Act East Policy to rise as another global power connecting with Southeast Asian countries will remain futile without the active involvement of the Northeast states. Segregation, institutionalised in the form of neglect and indifference, could only rub salt into the infected wound. Measures such as enacting a unique criminal law for such racial offences, including an active integration process, are in dire need. The government and the rest of India need to step up and make amends. Because the generations of the Northeast are watching.