Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has expressed anger over recent incidents of racist attacks and bullying on people from northeastern India on the mainland, particularly over the recent assault on a Manipur woman in Delhi after she objected to harassment.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening near Delhi’s Saket Court, where a woman from Manipur was taking a walk in a park with her friend when a group of men commented on her, police said. When one of the women objected, the men allegedly assaulted them.
“When one of the two women objected to these statements, an argument broke out, and the accused allegedly assaulted her,” PTI quoted a police officer as saying.
The police added that they arrived at the scene after receiving information about them, and contacted the victim. “Further action will be taken based on her statement,” a police officer said.
“Illness should not be accepted.”
Describing the incident as “disgusting”, Sangma said racist bullying against people from northeast India cannot be accepted as a new normal, and reached out to his Delhi counterpart Rekha Gupta to take strict action in the matter by tagging her in the post.
“We are outraged at the repeated attacks on the people of North East India. The physical attack on two of our compatriots from Manipur and Assam near Saket Court in Delhi is disgusting. Racist bullying should not be accepted as the new normal and we must act against it. Urge the authorities to take strict action,” Sangma wrote on X.
Not the first time
The incident that occurred on Sunday is not an isolated incident. In February, three women from the North-East, including a Delhi University student, were racially abused by a couple in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, after a minor dispute over dust entering the latter’s home.
A video of the incident circulated on social media, showing the couple hurling insulting remarks at the three women.
The couple was arrested and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were invoked against them, police said.
Reacting to this incident, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that Delhi “belongs to everyone” and such harassment “will not be tolerated.”
“…Delhi belongs to everyone. Here, the dignity, respect and safety of every citizen is of utmost importance. I will meet them personally. Police are taking legal action with full responsibility and we will ensure that strictest action is taken against the culprits. No daughter will be tolerated, discriminated against or humiliated at any cost…”, Gupta said in a post on X.
