The gap in tackling racism
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: February 21 , 2014 -

In the aftermath of the strong protests and endless round of debate over the recent spate of violent attacks and crimes on people of Northeast origin in the National capital including death of Nido Tania, a 19-year old student from Arunachal Pradesh, after he was beaten up by a group of shopkeepers at Lajpat Nagar market, rape of a minor 14-year old girl from Manipur by the son of her landlord in Munirka as well as stabbing and robbing of Manipuri youths in different parts, the Government of India does appear to have jolted out from its deep slumber and come out from its denial mode on the recurring issues of racial discrimination that people with Mongoloid looks from its Northeast region have to face in other parts of the country.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has even constituted a 10-member committee headed by retired IAS officer MP Bezbaruah as chairman on February 5 to look into various kinds of discriminations that people hailing from the North east region have to endure every day of their life while staying in other parts of the country including the National capital Delhi either for study or job.

In view of the strict instructions given by the Ministry for submitting its report within two months, the Committee has also started holding a series of consultative meetings with representative youths from the Northeast region to collect their views and suggestions on the issue.

On the other hand, Supreme Court of India has issued directive to the Government of India for putting in place adequate measures to guarantee safety of the people from the Northeast living in other parts of the country.

The apex court directive followed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed against increasing instances of racial attacks on people of Northeast origin.

The apex court has also sought the response from the Government of India within four weeks’ time on the measures that have been taken up to ensure the safety and protection of the Northeast people.

While all these developments have surely given us the impression of some serious work being done to solve the problem of racism in the country this time, there are also certain pertinent issues that need to be taken into consideration, otherwise, all these interventions from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Supreme Court of India would come to naught and reduce the whole effort to an elaborate exercise in futility.

First of all, there is an urgent need to bring about a complete shake up in the administration of policing system of the country so as to remove the public impression of Indian police as criminals in uniform or at best accomplices in the hate crime against North people by their refusal to register the required FIR even.

Secondly and most importantly, the Supreme Court of India should understand that its duty does not end with issuing some directives and instructions to the authorities concerned for doing the needful.

What is more important than issuing directives/instructions, is to see that the same are followed and implemented.

So, all that we would like to say and pray here is let there be not many a slip between the cup and the lip when one talks about tackling the issue of racism in India any more.