Growing Attacks on people from Northeast People find Echo in Lok Sabha

People staging a candle light vigil demanding justice in the murder of Shaloni, in New Delhi on Tuesday.

New Delhi, Jul 23 : The issue of growing attacks and sexual assaults on people from the North East in different parts of the country, especially in Delhi, was raised in the Lok Sabha today by a Congress member.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Ninong Ering referred to a Manipuri youth being beaten to death here yesterday and several other recent cases and said these incidents amounted to “racial discrimination” which should be put to an end forthwith.

He said the previous government had set up a Committee under former bureaucrat MP Bezbaruah to look into the concerns of people from the North East living in different parts of the country.

This government, Ering said, had submitted its report to the new government and has recommended legal measures to ensure their safety and security from any assault on them. It also suggested that any attack of racial nature should be made a punishable offence.

The Congress member urged the government to take urgent steps to implement the recommendations of this Committee. The issue also had its echo in Rajya Sabha with members demanding immediate steps to curb the menace and a statement from the Home Minister.

Tarun Vijay (BJP) said a Manipuri youth was beaten to death here yesterday and there were several other cases of racial discrimination.

He said there has been a spurt in such incidents and referred to the killing of another youth Nido Tania in January.

It was unfortunate that youths from the region were treated as foreigners in Delhi and were subjected to all sorts of ill-treatment, he said.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (AITC) demanded a statement from the Home Minister on the issue. Roy said three persons from the region have been killed here since January and demanded making public recommendations of a Committee on racial discrimination.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said it was a serious matter of “ethnic discrimination” and asked Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah to inform the Home Minister.

Heptullah said “I will convey the sentiments of the entire House to the Home Minister.”