The best thing about Nido’s death
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: February 07, 2014 -

As we have stated at the time of the death of Richard Loitam and Reiphamphy Awungshi of Manipur and Dana Sangma of Meghalaya, even though justice were denied to them, the loss that the people of Northeast have suffered was not in complete vain.

That is the same feeling that we have today while looking at the developments that are taking place in the aftermath of the recent death of Nido Tania, a 19-year old student from Arunachal Pradesh, after he was brutally assaulted by some shopkeepers at Lajpat Nagar Market in South Delhi following a confrontation provoked by racist comment on the colour of his hair.

Of course, the death of a young and promising student could never be compensated in any way and the loss would always be felt.

But the sad and premature departure of Nido from our midst has also given enough courage and reason to go on fighting for a cause, which appears to be rushing towards its logical conclusion.

That is why, we say, his death was not in vain.

More than the raising consciousness of the people towards the malice of racial discrimination that the people of Northeast origin have to endure every waking hour of their lives while studying or living in other parts of the country and the sense of unity and oneness that has been invoked and instilled in the mind of the people, the unprecedented support from the political circle (though it is questionable at times) towards the cause of ensuring protection and security of the people from Northeast and the related measures (though it is not certain how far they would be implemented), deserve to be appreciated, at least.

Because this is the wave on which people from Northeast could ride on for some concrete solution to a problem that has haunted them for too long.

Even though one can justifiably raised many questions over the interest that has been generated this time among the political as well as administrative circle on tackling the issue of racial discrimination against people of Northeast origin, if Nido had not been the son of a Congress legislator and Minister in the ruling Arunachal Pradesh Government or if Lok Sabha election had not been round the corner, some of the measures that have been taken up in the aftermath of his death could go a long way in combating the evil of racism in the country.

One such measure is the directive that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has given to various broadcasting bodies in the country to sensitise their viewers on the problems and issues of Northeast region by giving adequate coverage.

It is true that northeastern part of the country has remained neglected not just in term of developmental activities but also from the purview of mainstream media, thus, obliterating the existence of the region lying beyond the Siliguri corridor even from the general consciousness of the people.

The directive of the Ministry, if implemented, could help in undoing this Himalayan blunder.

Along with this, the talks and proposals that are doing the round on the need for reforming the education system of the country through introduction of curriculums that emphasis tolerance and respect for ethnic diversity in schools across the country with special focus on the history, culture and social background of the people of north-east India needs to be pushed forward by all means.

All said and done, one thing that we can't help but be happy over the death of Nido is that regardless of whether or not it works as a wake up call to the rest of the country, our own home grown Ministers and MLAs must have realised that their sons and daughters are also not immune to the hate crime perpetrated against people of Northeast origin in other parts of the country.