HC issues slew of directions to check hate crimes in Delhi
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed eight Northeastern states to send police officers on deputation to Delhi police, while the Supreme Court posted one PIL on the attack on Nido Taniam for hearing on Friday.
“We direct that immediate steps should be taken in this regard by giving vide publicity there to in the vernacular languages not only in Guwahati (Assam) but in the entire Northeastern region,” the court said, adding that sufficient personnel should be hired in all 11 district of Delhi, as it “will go long way in building confidence” in the northeast people.
A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, which had taken suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of Arunchal youth, said the recent incidents are indicative of a disturbing trend of intolerance to movement of people within the country, which threatens the integrity of the country. The bench directed Delhi police to ensure safety of people from Northeast by deploying force in the localities, where such migrants stay, provide separate helpline number, operational within six weeks and to give it wide publicity.
In its 12-page direction, the bench also expressed concern over delay in filing of the post mortem reports and directed setting up of forensic laboratories in each of the district of Delhi.
The Court asked the Centre and Delhi government to come up with a law to prevent hate crimes against migrants and issued a slew of directions like speedy disposal of such cases and deputing personnel from the Northeast in the police as part of efforts to ensure safety of people from others states.
The bench was also of the view that one of the root cause of altercation entailing persons of northeastern in Delhi, is the failure of other residents of Delhi to recognise them as Indians, addressing them as belonging to another country and mocking at their differences, which angers such persons.
“The Centre as well as Delhi government to immediately take steps through print and electronic media to remove the said misconception and to build awareness in other residents of Delhi of the grievances of the people from North-Eastern region,” the court said.
It also directed that Delhi Legal Service Authority should hold programmes to make people of Northeast aware of their legal rights.
Meanwhile, a PIL was on Wednesday moved in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to put in place a system and framing of guidelines to protect the people from Northeastern states in the national capital and other parts of the country from racial discrimination.
The petition was mentioned by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi before a bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam which agreed to hear it on Friday.
The petition filed by seven advocates, some of them belonging to North East, highlighted the recent attacks on north eastern people, including the death of Arunachal Pradesh youth.
Rohatgi and advocate Diksha Rai submitted there was no system in place by the Ministry of Home to protect these people. The Centre, through Ministry of Home, Delhi government and all other states and Union territories, have been made parties in the petition. (With inputs from PTI)