Support cell sought for safety of NE people in Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Trust of India

New Delhi, April 08 2015 : The setting up of a support cell in the Delhi Secretariat to "create awareness" on the problems faced by the people of the North Eastern States is among several suggestions made today by an amicus before the Delhi High Court to ensure their safety in the National capital.

The recommendations were made by senior advocate Upmanyu Hazarika, appointed as amicus curiae to assist the Court, also included immediate implementation of recommendations of former bureaucrat headed MP Bezbaruah Committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, following a spate of attacks against people from the region living in Delhi.

The suggestions were submitted before the bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice RS Endlaw which said it would take up the matter on next date of hearing on July 8 .

The suggestions also include implementation of recommendations made by Lieutenant Governor's committee to address problems faced by the people from the region in Delhi.

"The Delhi Government should have a close tie-up with Delhi police nodal officer for North East people in Delhi for redressing crimes, SOS help, prosecution, labour-related matters, education and other issues faced by North East people," the recommendation suggested by Hazarika said.

It also recommended that members from North East should be appointed to the commissions for women and minorities.

"The Minister of SC/ST may be designated as the nodal Minister for dealing with problems faced by North East people and may hold monthly meeting with all North East NGOs, women activists, student leaders, social/cultural organisations," it said.

The recommendation also suggested constitution of fast- track Courts for day-to-day trial of cases of racial crimes, rape, murder and kidnapping against the people from these states.

On January 14, the Court had asked the Government and the amicus to give their suggestions to curb alleged hate crimes and racial discrimination against the people from North Eastern States and said that the Government needs to "play a proactive role" in this.

Earlier, the Centre had filed a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) in pursuance of the findings of the 11-member panel, headed by Bezbaruah.

The Centre had set up the committee after a 19-year-old Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania was killed in an alleged racial attack in Lajpat Nagar locality here in January 2014 .

The panel had submitted an 80-page report to Home Ministry saying the National capital was ahead of the rest of the country in "racial discrimination" against people from the North Eastern region.

As per the report, over two lakh people have migrated to Delhi from North Eastern States between 2005 and 2013 and about 86 per cent of them have faced some form of racial discrimination.

The people from the North East faced more problems in Delhi as compared to other metros like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata, the report had said.

The Court had expressed anguish over continuing incidents of violence against people from the North East despite its orders and sought a report from the Government on the steps taken to curb "the menace plaguing the society" .

Delhi police had told the Court that a Special Police Unit (SPU) has been set up to deal with such crimes.

The Court had taken suo motu cognisance of media reports about the death of Tania, son of an Arunachal MLA.

Later a PIL was filed in the Court after the death of a Manipuri youth in south Delhi on July 20, 2014 after an assault by five persons.

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