Imphal, February 03: The North East Support Centre and Helpline, New Delhi has demanded an unconditional apology from the Editor of the tabloid, Mail Today, for carrying a report in its January 28 edition using racist language against the people of the North East as well as the African Community.

In a statement, the Helpline said that a news story published in the January 28 edition of the tabloid, under the caption, 'Druglords prey NE Girls to Act as Peddlers,' cast the girls of the North East in an immoral light.

The report was also racist and cast a slur on the NE people as well as the African community, it alleged.

Voicing a strong protest, the Helpline has sent a letter to the Editor of the said tabloid, which is published by the India Today group.

The report, some part of which were quoted by the Helpline, casts the girls from the North East as drug peddlers and put a question mark on their morality.

Quoting some lines from the report, the Helpline said the reporter, Kumar Vikram filed his story thus..."The next time a cocaine addict in Delhi orders for a fix, it's unlikely that an African man will be standing at the door.

Instead it'll probably be a young, trendy Northeast Indian girl.

And for a few extra thousands she'll put s...on offer as well".

Copies of the letter written to the Editor have also been sent to the Chairman of the Press Council of India Justice GN Ray, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Girija Vyas, High Commissions of African Nations, and MPs, Governors and Chief Ministers of the North East States.

The letter voicing the protest was jointly signed by Dr John Dayal, member of National Integration Council and founding patron of the North East Support Centre and Helpline, Ms Lanshinlu Rongmei, president of the Helpline and Madhu Chandra, spokesperson of the same.

Referring to a quote attributed by the reporter to a DCP of Delhi police, the letter asked the Commissioner of Delhi Police whether he supports the statement made by his ignorant subordinate.

The report violates ethics and the IPC as well, it added.

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