NE girls harassed at IGI airport
Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, June 30 2013:
At a time when women in Delhi are demanding safety, three North East girls, all nieces of Dr Alana Golmei, General Secretary of NE Helpline, were allegedly harassed by a CISF man at IGI airport yesterday.
According to a statement issued by NE Helpline, the three girls were allegedly harassed by CISF Constable Ram Chander Chaudhury at IGI domestic airport between 1pm and 2 pm.
The NE Helpline said that the incident happened when they were waiting for their siblings coming from Imphal by an Indigo flight which was to arrive at 1.30 pm.
The girls told the North East Helpline that the CISF Constable enquired why they were sitting there for long.
Although, the girls told the Constable that they were waiting for their siblings, he kept on asking unnecessary questions and demanded to show their identity cards.
The press release quoted the girls as saying that the Constable didn't ask anything to other people who were sitting there longer than them.
The press release quoted the girls as saying, "We were shocked that he was targeting only us since we look different.
He took advantage of our young age and different look from the rest sitting nearby us.
His intention was to stalk us as he was roving his eyes all over our bodies while abusively demanding to show our identity cards" .
Dr Alana Golmei said, "I was also standing a few metres away from them along with my cousin sister when the incident happened.
"One of my nieces called me on phone and told me to rush there where they were being harassed by the CISF man, who was in civvies" .
Golmei added, "I rushed there and immediately and asked politely to Ram Chander Chaudhury what was it all about upon which, he angrily replied he was doing his duty according to the order of CISF Vigilance.
When I requested for the standing order he tried to persuade me to go with him and see from his office.
I insisted him to bring the standing order of CISF (any order that says one should not sit in IGI domestic airport for more than one hour) .
Meanwhile I also spoke to another personnel from Ram Chander's phone and the man on phone said the same thing that they were vigilance personnel of CISF and that he saw nothing wrong on the behaviour of Ram Chander" .
"Later, another CISF official whose name was RS Sharma appeared at the scene along with Ram Chander again.
He was trying to justify the conduct of Ram Chander saying that there was no harm in asking for their identity cards and added that the girls could have just showed it which further appalled me", Golmei added.
Despite repeated calls to the concerned authorities and central government regarding the discrimination and harassment of North East community residing in Delhi and NCR region no visible action has been taken up so far, said the press release.
The North East Helpline strongly urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and any concerned authorities dealing with CISF Vigilance at IGI airport to take strong action against Ram Chander Chaudhury for harassing and stalking the three NE young girls yesterday.
This is not the first time, there were many unreported incidents in the past where NE community were harassed by the security personnel and airline officials as well in IGI airport, New Delhi, the press release added.
The North East Helpline also sought clarification from the concerned authorities whether there is such rules imposed to people who look different especially the Northeast community to be harassed in this way.
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