A 19 year old student from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Taniam was done to death in Delhi. Shortly before that two girls from Manipur were assaulted in the capital. This is not the first time that young people from the Northeast have been victims of violence and hooliganism in Delhi. The exact causes of the killing of the Arunachal student are hard to ascertain. Protests in Delhi and Itanagar, capital of Arunachal Pradesh, show the insecurity of people from the Northeast in Delhi. The gangrape of a woman from Manipur a few years ago comes to mind. There seems to be a racial tinge about it. There are obviously various forms of discrimination against students and professionals from the Northeast. They are not allowed accommodation. Shopkeepers do not attend to their needs. And they are frequently abused in the streets. Another glaring incident was a midnight raid on Africans in Khirki extension in the capital. Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti led the attack. Local residents want the Africans evicted. It is the worst kind of xenophobia.
Why is there so much intolerance in a cosmopolitan city like Delhi? The police look the other way. Complaints are not registered, let alone taking action against the offenders. The canker lies mainly in the social attitude. Awareness of the unity in the diversity of India should be made a reality. Not merely textbooks but the media and popular culture will help. On the other hand, those from the Northeast which is an integral part of India should abandon their sense of alienation. They should learn the local language and adapt to local mores. Politicizing the issue is pointless. Narendra Modi has rendered little service by targeting the AAP government for the death of Nido Taniam and the abuse of Ugandan women.