Assault on North Easterners: TSA-D, NCR condemn
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Imphal, October 23 2014: The Thadou Students' Association-Delhi & NCR (TSA-D & NCR), in the strongest terms, has condemned the attack on T Michael Lamjathang Haokip, 26, who sustained injuries on the head and other two students Ngamkholen Haokip, 28, and Rocky Kipgen, 25, who escaped with minor injuries in Bangalore.

The incident, which occurred on the night of October 14 in Kothanur in Bangalore, started when a gang of local men demanded that Michael and his friends speak in Kannada, the local language.

Michael, who is the president of Thadou Students' Association, Bangalore branch and his friends Ngamkholen and Rocky, who are also members of the association, hail from Manipur and are currently studying in Bangalore.

In an interview with NDTV Michael said, "They said you are eating Karnataka food, living in Karnataka.

If you don't speak Kannada please get out.

We ignored them, but they took it as an insult.

They picked up stones and attacked us and I got injured" .

According to Thadou Students' Association (TSA), Michael ran to the police station to seek police help to rescue his friend, Letmang Haokip, who was surrounded by the gang who robbed Letmang's belongings.

Had it not been for Michael's brave act and the police intervention, the situation would have been much worse.

Letmang feared that he would have probably been killed by the gang had it not been for the intervention by the police who were brought by Michael.

"We laud the police for their timely action in this incident and for arresting the three perpetrators," said the student body.

What came as even more shocking was that the people who gathered at the scene immediately sided with the attackers and joined the attack.

It was reported that people who allegedly have connection with a local politician helped the attackers escape.

"The incident is highly deplorable and we demand appropriate action against the perpetrators and all involved in the attack according to the law of the land and we also demand that all needed support and assistance be extended to the victims of the crime" said TSA.

"This kind of racially-motivated incident has happened in the past and this is going to send a new wave of shock and fear amongst citizens from the North Eastern part of the country who live in Karnataka and elsewhere.

In light of this it is highly crucial that the Government and authorities concerned take remedial measures that seek to prevent recurrence of this kind of incident, to ensure safety and security of North East Indians living in Karnataka and elsewhere across the country," TSA said.

"We also condemn the recent racially motivated incidents in Delhi and demand that justice be delivered in all cases in a timely and satisfying manner," it added.

The TSA said, "Considering the frequency of this kind of incident in the country we call upon the Central and State Governments to initiate more permanent remedial measures, not just crisis intervention.

A permanent remedial measure is enactment of the demanded anti-racial discrimination law in the country and dissemination and inclusion of North East India history and culture in educational curricula right from primary education through to tertiary level in order to promote unity in the country.

Then only can there be true and full embracement of 'unity in diversity', which is the dream of the founders of the Nation and of millions of us today" .

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