North East Migration and Challenges in Mega Cities
- Part 2 -

By Madhu Chandra *

Pull Factors for North East Migration

The major pull factor for migration of people from North East India is impact of globalisation. Although four push factors mentioned above have been the issues in the region for last few decades. Yet the phenomena of migrating to mega cities, particularly in search of job opportunities did not take place until the emergence of globalisation.

Globalisation has opened door opportunities for whole world and it has attracted the people of North East India to move to mega cities.

First, better environment of educational opportunities with multiple choices of study branch have attracted young generation from North East India region. This pull factor attracts all students in region but small percentage of population can afford.

Second, employment opportunities in central government jobs have attacked educated young generation from North East region, yet they have to compete through examination. Reserved jobs in central governmental department made easier for Scheduled Caste and Tribe communities both in higher and lower professions.

Third, globalisation has opened doors to employment opportunities, particularly semi-professional and semi-skilled crowds. Many of young boys and girls from North East India, who are at level of semi-skilled and semi-professional, get jobs in organised and non-organised private sectors like BPO, and hospitality industries, shopping malls etc.

Appealing personalities, ability to communicate in English and hospitality/socially oriented culture, honesty, hard working culture of North East region are few more flavours attracted to private companies. Nevertheless, not without challenges when they migrate to mega cities particularly in Delhi and NCR.

Challenges Faced by North Easterners in Mega Cities!

Unprepared they came, unprepared they faced challenges and unprepared yet to address them. It is a multidimensional challenge that needs to address together so that some of heinous crimes committed against the people from North East India, particularly in Delhi and NCR.

First, social profiling all Mongoloid looking face is the greatest challenge faced by the people of North East India in Delhi and NCR. It is the main root causes of sexual abuse, social discrimination and racial attack. Social profiling has caused North East girls as vulnerable in the eyes of perpetrators.

The notion of social profiling - the opinion formed upon ones appearance, culture and levelling everyone equal with some opinions formed upon some experiences. Once a community is socially profiled, ones economic, social, educational and professional status does not matter and everyone is looked upon socially and racially with low image. Social profiling is the reflection of segregated society based on caste hierarchy and apartheids.

Next to social profiling is the mind-set of people on North East communities which has become a major cause of sexual abuse, social discrimination and economic exploitation. A mindset of social profiling is that the people from North East India are strangers, free culture, cheap and do anything one likes, you can get free. Social profiling is also seen in the attitudes of local police when they insult, deceive, ignore and deny the complaints and connived with perpetrators in many cases.

Second, the education, employment and livelihood earning are affected by social profiling, racial discrimination and gender-based violence. In most of the cases of sexual abuse, rape and racial attack, victims had to move to another secured localities.

When they relocate, any business they have been running is immediately affected and some times they are not able to restart the same villages and at last had to return back to their native states. At some risky situation, boys and girls are so much traumatised from the incident they had gone through and affect their mental and some become mentally ill and their lives are destroyed. The very purpose for which the people from North East India migrated for are affected at different level.

Third, those working in private sectors, particularly those in non-organised sectors face huge challenges. Pay is less, hardly manageable for their living cost and to support family members at home. Their jobs are not secured, any time, they can be terminated and many terminated without pay. At entry point, certain amount agreed and paid just half at the end of the day.

Four, the last nevertheless least, young north east girls are targeted by human trafficking agents. It is equally real at mega cities and back at home. Insufficient of salaries and insured jobs in private companies has caused the desire to better and more secured jobs. In search better and secured jobs, many of innocent girls and boys ended at the end of human trafficking agencies.

Thereafter, the life and challenges of social profiling and racial discrimination move to another paradigm shift, which is far greater danger than what has been faced so far.

Issue is big, need to seek remedies, preferably together, more of integration, socially acceptable among the societies with inputs law enforcing agencies, social scientists, civil societies and government machineries, keeping in mind that Diversity in Unity is the strength and beauty of India.

Concluded.....