Emerging pattern behind the 'attacks' : Hollowness of 'Unity in Diversity'
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 03 , 2014 -

Time for some hard talk. Not the time for niceties or politically correct words or utterings and certainly not the time to talk about the much tom tommed, 'Unity in Diversity.'

At home it is the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, an Act which gives unbridled powers to the security personnel, even to the extent of causing death by firing or torture on mere suspicion while in other parts of the country, especially Delhi and the National Capital Region, it is about racial profiling and hate attacks.

Where do the people of North East exactly stand in India's idea as a Nation ?

This is not the time to beat around the bush but to acknowledge the reality and go about dealing with the issue at hand.

The recent attack on 6 residents of North East in Gurgaon was not an isolated case.

It is more than clear that there is a pattern behind the series of attacks, the taunts and the discrimination that the people of the North East have to face once they cross the 'chicken neck.'

Time for all political parties and political leaders of the land to answer this question.

Where do we stand in India's overall understanding as a Nation ?

It is not without any reason that former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai went on record and stated that the Prime Minister, read the country, needs to apologise to the people of Manipur, or the North East.

Denying racism is itself racism.

This must register in the minds of the people who sit in the corridors of power at Delhi and elsewhere.

It is also time for the State Government to take up the matter with the Centre with all the seriousness it deserves.

Mind you, what happened at Gurgaon a few days back was not just a tiff or a clash between some young people, but a mob ganging up against a people who look different and have vastly different lifestyles and culture.

As the story carried by The Times of India and which was reproduced adverbatim in The Sangai Express showed, the attacks that followed the initial stand off between a man from the North East and his landlord, were premeditated and anyone with a flat nose, yellow skin and 'chinky' eyes were targeted.

Top this off with the now routine reluctance of Delhi police to register a case whenever anyone from the North East is attacked, killed or raped and the deep mental divide becomes all that more palpable.

In Dr Manmohan Singh, we have a gentleman as the Prime Minister of the country.

Plus he represents Assam in the Rajya Sabha.

So what steps has the Centre taken up to deal with those hoodlums who cannot see beyond their onions, curds and rotis ?

Time for all the people of the North East to march to Delhi and make their stand clear.

There can be nothing more demeaning and humiliating than to be thrashed and assaulted and taunted merely on the basis of one's look.

It is not only the bodily blows that one receives that hurt but the attitude of the so called mainlanders.

Rahul Gandhi joining a protest demonstration to show his solidarity is not just enough. More people to people contact is one suggestion that has been doing the round.

Fine this may help, but for the mindset to change it has to come from the policy framers of the land.

If the Centre does not care to think twice about the continued imposition of AFSPA in the region for decades, then how can one expect the others, the half educated or half literate citizens to understand that the people of the North East are the same as any one else.

The hollowness of 'Unity in Diversity' rings out loud and clear.