Bezbaruah recommendations: MHA issues directives, letters sent to RCs of NE Bhawans
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

New Delhi, March 29 2015: The Ministry of Home Affairs has accepted the recommendations made by the MP Bezbaruah Committee with regards to safety and security of North East people living in Delhi and other metro cities.

The committee was constituted in the aftermath of a massive uproar by North East people in Delhi following the killing of Arunachal Pradesh youth Nido Tania in February last year.

In this regard, communication letters dated March 25 were sent by MHA to several departments concerned in the National capital, various Ministries such as Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs and Sports, HRD, Culture, UGC, CBSE, all Chief Secretaries and DGPs of State Governments and UTs.

The letters were sent to all the Resident Commissioners of North East State bhawans in Delhi as well.

Map of North East India

According to the letter, a meeting was held on February 12 this year under the chairmanship of Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State (Home) to review the action-taken on the implementation of the recommendations made by the Bezbaruah Committee.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Ministry concerned, Delhi police and Resident Commissioners of the NE State bhawans.

Stating that the Government is committed to implementation of the Bezbaruah Committee report, MHA listed some of the recommendations for implementation and suggested actions which include legal measures and facilities, special police initiatives, activities such as sports, cultural and film festivals, education about NE, labour related issues and accommodation problems.

The Judicial Division of MHA had intimated to the Legislative Department of Law and Justice to incorporate amendments in IPC Section 153 C and 509 A in the draft Criminal Law (Amendment ) Bill 2015.It was requested that the said amendment be made in the recently concluded Parliament session.

The MHA letter stated that seven lawyers including five women have been constituted by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority and that Home Department of the Delhi Government will pay necessary legal fees.

MHA also asked for the revision of Delhi Victim Compensation Scheme 2015.It suggested that investigations be completed within 30 days and compensation of Rs 25,000 per person be made within 24 hours of passing order.

The Sports Ministry has initiated steps for identification of talented sports persons from the North East to provide training and organize tournaments in various cities across the country.

MHA said that UGC had informed that the commission had introduced scholarships to graduate and post graduate students.

The UGC had advised all the universities that history of NE, geography etc should be taught at the graduation level.

Similar activities have been taken up by NCERT, UGC as well.

NCERT has taken up steps to revise its school subjects and proposed to introduce chapters at school levels.

Ministry of Culture has affirmed that it will organize cultural programmes and for that the Sangeet Natak Akademi and Lalit Kala Akademi are preparing an action plan.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting informed MHA that a number of initiatives including publicity have been initiated.

That NE film festival will be held every year.

The Resident Commissioners of the North East bhawans were asked to suggest names of advocates for appointment of para legal volunteers.

The Resident Commissioners were also requested to provide details of the students, professionals, businessmen, workers from the North East to the Delhi Police Joint Commissioner.

The MHA has requested the State Governments to select 20 (10 males and 10 females) for recruitment in Delhi police.

It mentioned that the Delhi police will synchronise special helpline 1093 with PCR 100 and that NE cases will be referred to the existing fast track Courts and that public prosecutors will be engaged in serious cases.

Regarding accommodation problems, the MHA letter suggested for rent law revision and amendments.

To resolve wage problem, it mentioned that Labour Department has issued a direction that payment in cheque be made mandatory to enable monitoring payments made.

Moreover, the Department suggested that NE working people must form unions and register themselves for better grievance redressal.

While certain recommendation may not be feasible for implementation and actions, many of the above suggestions and proposed initiatives have not taken off, except cultural festivals, film screenings, conferences and lecture on North East in colleges and schools.

It may be mentioned that since 2005 (when assault and attacks on NE people began) till date, none of the cases related to NE have been closed or disposed off, except two cases of gang rape of 2005 and 2010.Moreover, the IPC Amendment Bill have not been introduced in Parliament till date.

Reportedly the helpline number 1093 received many bizarre and prank calls.

As per media reports from October 28 last year when it was started, the helpline has got a total of 27 telephone calls until March this year.

Almost all of them had nothing to do with the North East.

Some of the reported calls include, unpaid salary, seeking police help to get the money which was in the pocket of the clothes handed to the laundry man.

Some called to know about the weather.

Many of the calls were test calls to check if the helpline was in service or not.

Some of the calls were from journalists who were seeking data on the number of phone calls the helpline had received.

Meanwhile the State bhawans too have their own set of bizarre and ridiculous encounters.

Reportedly at the Manipur Tikendrajit House, some youths/students, would land up any time of the day or night seeking accommodation on the grounds that they have been thrown out by their landlords.

Moreover, the request to provide data has left the staff of Manipur Bhawan/House bewildered and clueless on how to provide details of people from the State living and residing in Delhi.