Racial remarks against Northeast people: Society must change

It is a comment on our society that the Centre is contemplating enacting a law to prevent people from making racial remarks and gestures against people from Northeast India, as suggested by the M.P. Bezbaruah Committee. There is a measure of desperation about the government’s thinking; the idea comes in the wake of a trend of racial discrimination seen after a brutal murder in Delhi as well as a series of incidents of migrant citizens being abused, or even physically battered, because they come from a certain part of the country.

Ethnic profiling is a despicable habit which becomes even more largely prevalent in the case of people from the north-eastern states because they can be distinguished so easily from many other Indians. Such treatment is more commonly seen in and around the National Capital Region. Many sociologists believe that people also see the north-easterners as an economic threat since they take away jobs in retail and other areas. Their general demeanour, smart dress sense and a work ethic that sees them strive for longer hours for less pay makes them highly employable.

The boorish culture of referring to them as “Chinki” can be eliminated if society opens its eyes and sees India and Indians with clarity. It is a moot point whether such laws helped drive off discrimination against the Scheduled Castes or whether society became more accepting of our national diversity over time. Penal provisions may, however, help instil fear in individuals although loutish behaviour often surfaces when people move in groups. Ideally, society must evolve much more to be inclusive.