Discrimination at Delhi is a reality: Report
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

New Delhi, December 06 2014 : A new survey on reports of discrimination against people hailing form North East region in the capital city Delhi reveals discri-mination is a reality and that such acts happen in public places.

The three months survey was conducted by Reachout Foundation, Bangalore based on a mixed probability and non-probability method.

Out of 2000 identified respondents only 947 responded.

About 5 � 10 per cent in each questionnaires received no response.

Interviews with the target sample population were held in several locations in Delhi, on a snow ball sampling method where a sizeable number of the NE people live.

Highest number of respondents were in the age group of 22-25, while 53 per cent were undergraduate, 61 per cent respondents were unemployed.

67 per cent of the respondents said they face racial or ethnic discrimination.

Both males and females identified their ethnicity as the greatest determinants of discrimination.

With regard to measures or responses taken on such acts of discrimination, only 4 per cent said they reported to the police, while 40 per cent of the respondents said they shared with friends and family.

Others either shared it with few friends or did not share it with anyone.

One of the most worrying trends as discovered during the survey was that respondents felt they were being looked upon with suspicion.

41 per cent of them said they were treated with distrust.

According to the survey report, respondents feel that major cause of discrimination is prejudice.

64 percent of the respondents feel that the reason behind the discrimination is due to lack of awareness about people from NE while some believe that it is because of lack of interactions.

Moreover, 60 percent of the respondents in the survey said that they do not have any knowledge of the law and concerned departments dealing with discrimination.

Speaking at the release of the survey report in New Delhi today, Justice KG Balakrishnan, Chairperson NHRC said inequality is one of the key reasons for discrimination in the country.

He said that this could be tackled with an inclusive economic reforms and policy change.

Every citizen should have equal opportunity in every spheres of development.

The Constitution which already has all the provisions to deal with all forms of discrimination, would come alive only when there is equal opportunity and access to development, the NHRC Chairman said.

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