Nearly 50% of Sexual Assault in National Capital happens to North East People.

North East India Communities Face Racial Discrimination in National Capital

New Delhi, November 11, 2007

Nearly 50% of Sexual Assault in National Capital happens to North East Girls. North East India Communities Face Racial Discrimination in National Capital.  But hundreds of unreported and very few reported stories of racial discrimination meted out to North East people living, studying and working in national capital and its surrounding cities have definitely caused great fears to North East India communities.

Racial discrimination in the form of rape, sexual assault, landlord harassment, non-payment of salaries by employers, and suspension from job without proper reasons are few to name. Since the birth of North East Support Centre & Helpline on October 20, 2007, almost every single day has been reported of discrimination to the people from north east India living in Delhi and NCR.

But hundreds of unreported and very few reported stories of racial discrimination meted out to North East people living, studying and working in national capital and its surrounding cities have definitely caused great fears to North East India communities.

Racial discrimination in the form of rape, sexual assault, landlord harassment, non-payment of salaries by employers, and suspension from job without proper reasons are few to name. Since the birth of North East Support Centre & Helpline on October 20, 2007, almost every single day has been reported of discrimination to the people from north east India living in Delhi and NCR.

What matters most is the mindset of the people toward different in appearance, culture, and social setup of North East India communities. The Greater fear is the snail space, negligent, delay and even denial of complaint by police duty officers in handling discrimination meted out to North East people. In many of the cases, police duty officers had to wait till the instruction by higher authorities or pressurize from other sources like media.

Looking at the recent 18 sexual assault and rape cases to NE girls and dozen other form of harassment to the people from North East India appeared in Media. Almost 50% of them happened to North East girls and women. Most of them traumatize without any body to help them.

Delhi is not safe place for girls and women even in broad daylight. Now the situation has worsened. The police are reluctant to work on it if it is to do with North East people. The culprit takes more courageous when police forces left them go free. The public watch as a mere spectator if we defend ourselves and judge us as outcaste and uncivilized.

“Such is the case when I broke a finger of a man in a crowded bus when he grope and try to squeeze my buttock. When I threatened to gouge his eyes out next time I was left with a comfortable space in that crowded bus by the public inside with a clear message that there is one insane, uncivilized, wild North East girl among the well mannered ladies and gentlemen. No one judges him but they make a point to recognize me as an outcaste” says a girl.

The mindset of the general public and particularly of police personnel need to change in the way how the cases are taken for the people of north east India.

The North East public leaders, Bureaus and political leaders need to be sensitized about the fact that North East boys and girls who have migrated to national capital in search of better education, employment and future carrier, are facing high amount of discrimination. The matter of discrimination meted out to North East people has to be notified to Delhi and Central Government to ensure safety measurement.

When every culture, tradition and races of vast and world’s largest democratic nation is regarded and protected then only the beauties of diversity in unity will be visible and the strength of Unity in Diversity will make sense. 

Discrimination to North East People – On Record - Full Story