Say No to Racism: On Racial Discrimination against People from Northeast India

Nothing is more painful than being called an alien in one’s own country. Unfortunately, people of Northeast have been facing such humiliations since Independence, when they step out of the region. It is perplexing that this continues to occur in a country that prides itself on unity and integrity. It’s not that Northeastern people have not lodged protests with the concerned authorities. Hundreds of alleged racial discrimination cases have been reported in various cities, yet no exemplary punishments have been enforced against the culprits. Instead, the authorities tend to wash their hands off by assuring to take up the matter with all seriousness. The latest victim of racial slurs is a girl from Meghalaya, who was reportedly abused twice in a single day, in the national capital Delhi, that too in broad daylight. She was allegedly abused while shopping in a nearby locality, before a similar incident happened while boarding the metro. Taking to social media to express her feelings, she wrote: “I’ve been to different countries, but they never made me feel like I don’t belong there. But today, in my own country, fellow Indians made me feel like I don’t belong here.” She continued: “My only mistake is that I’m born in India and I look like this. They make fun of me just because I don’t look like the rest.” These words clearly exhibit the pain and suffering the girl has endured after being harassed publicly.

There is no gainsaying that India can only become strong by respecting its plurality, which is the cornerstone of the country’s constitution. The constitution of India clearly decries any sort of discrimination in the name of caste, creed, religion and gender, etc. We must always remember that India is a multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multicultural nation, which contributes to its uniqueness. Therefore, opposing the fundamental principles of a pluralistic India does not qualify anyone as a true Indian. Despite decades of neglect, which is visible from poor infrastructure, including road, rail and air connectivity, the region has been contributing to nation-building, protect the sovereignty of the country and bring laurels for the nation, particularly in sports. They are often treated as "outsiders" or "foreigners" in their own country, which is unfortunate. The fact is alienating the people of the region through stereotyping and making racial remarks based on looks and cultural differences only weakens the nation.