THE MP Bezdaruah Committee rightly suggested in its report to the Centre last month that a law be drafted specifically to prevent discrimination against people from the Northeast living outside the region. The panel was set up after the lynching of an Arunachal Pradesh student, Nido Tania in January. So far nothing but the Committee’s push for a debate on the need for an anti-racism law has materialized. The panel has reportedly now suggested a framework for a specific law based on the Delhi High Court order following Tania’s killing asking the Centre, the Delhi government and police to work on legislation to prevent hate crimes. The Committee has asked for steps to be taken for a specific law or a specific amendment to the IPC to tackle problems of the Northeastern people. If the suggestion is accepted, the law ministry will have to draft the legislation conjointly with the home ministry. The home ministry seems rather muddled about how to go about it. The latest outrage in Delhi, the killing of a youth from Manipur, Akha Salouni has accentuated the need for such a law.
Rape, eve-teasing and murder of Northeastern youth are happening in the capital every now and then. Northeastern women, working in Delhi, specially are victims of such atrocities. True, it is argued that such women are subjected to such crimes because they wear western clothes and speak English. Of course, the Northeastern people, especially their women should make themselves acceptable to the local inhabitants but that cannot be an excuse for their maltreatment. An AAP minister in Delhi had aggravated the situation. Legislation to protect the Northeastern people is a must but with the home ministry vacillating, can its enforcement be ensured?
