The Dangerous Divide

New Delhi: “Are we aliens? Are we not Indians? Then why are we targetted?” asked Kim Nikhuma, who hails from Manipur and has been working in Gurgaon for the last six months.

As the region was still recovering from the shock – the attacks of three NE youths in two days – another incident jolted them. A 24-year-old woman hailing from Mizoram was on Friday found dead at her residence in South Delhi’s Munirka.

The body of the victim was first taken to the Safdarjung Hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. Police have registered a case of murder. The woman, identified as Juliet, suffered serious head injuries and police sources say that she has stab wounds in the thigh as well.

Repeated attacks on people from the North East in New Delhi, a city that prides itself on its cosmopolitan and egalitarian culture, have turned the spotlight towards an ugly, regressive side of the Millennium City that lies in the shadows of its luxurious high rises.

No strangers to the discrimination they face in the city, people from the North East say they are losing patience with the authorities’ failure to protect them and are frustrated by the deep regional biases that run through the veins of the society.

Similar incidents have also been reported in the past when people from a part of the country were targeted for their appearance or for their failure to speak in local language.

“I don’t feel safe at all. At least by the recent incidents… I never know when a group of people come and ask me whether I’m from China…. poke me with the honor of “CHINKY’ and if i show some aggression… the result… I may be in bed or may be in a bunch of wood,” says Manjil Borgohain, who hails from Guwahati.

People also took to Twitter to show their anger. “EBOLA!! My country is plagued by racist epidemic. #Bangalore #Delhi No country for #NorthEast people. #RacistShame,” tweeted Diego Costa.

Another boy tweeted, “Can’t digest the fact… People from #northeast are called #Chinese. You racists #morons they are people neglected for 60 years. #NotNow.”

“First you attack friends from #northeast and then expect them to feel a part of mainland India? Aisa kaise chalega yaar – have some sense.”

Meanwhile, Minister of State, Kiren Rijiju assured safe environment for North East people. He also said that Centre will take adequate steps for their safety.

However, it is felt that growing presence of people from the North East in academic fields and employment sectors in other cities had been felt as a threat to local residents. Therefore, their anger was expressed in the form of violence against the people from the North East.

“It is because of the flaws in nation building that now the problem is between people from the Northeast and people in other cities. If it is religion, the problem will be between Hindus and Muslims and if it is language it is between Hindi and Dravidian,” social anthropologist M C Arun said.

North East people are believed to be of shy nature and always keep them alienated from the rest of the society when they are outside their region. They only mingle with people of their community, distancing them from the others.

“I feel bad when people laugh at us or make fun when I speak Hindi. It’s either because of the accent or the words I utter. So, we hardly socialize with other people. No one wants to make fun of oneself or be a laughing stock because you are from NE,” said Julie Bania, who is here to pursue M Tech.

Congress MP Ninong Ering, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, strongly condemned the assault and said that the racial attacks against the Northeasterners are on the rise. Ering said he would speak to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the latest spurt in hate crimes against the people from the Northeast.

Meanwhile, Congress leader P C Chacko said the Karnataka Government will be taking strict action over the incident.

“If children from the North East are suffering in India, concrete steps should be taken to deal with this issue. The Karnataka Government will take strict action against this incident,” said Chacko.

Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid stressed on the need to protect people from the North East. “North East is an important and beautiful part of India, and it is our responsibility to give them respect and security. Their safety is extremely crucial,” said Khurshid.

The concerns rose as a 24-year-old engineering student from Manipur – T Michael Lamjathang – was beaten up and forced to speak Kannada by three miscreants in Bangalore.

The incident occurred Tuesday night when Lamjathang was standing along the roadside with his two other friends after returning from a police station where he had gone to take permission for an upcoming cultural festival.

In yet another incident of crime against Northeasterners, two Nagaland youths were reportedly beaten up and assaulted by a gang in Gurgaon.

Police commissioner Alok Mittal said, “We are constantly in touch with the Northeastern groups in the city. We already have a nodal officer specifically looking after cases involving northeast people. After this incident (two youths thrashed in Gurgaon), we have deployed a checkpost in the area. I think it is important to understand the concerns from both the sides — northeastern people as well as villagers.”

According to a report by the state education department, about 1,000 students leave Manipur every year to pursue higher studies in other cities of the country.