SHILLONG: Reactions poured in on Tuesday condemning the ill treatment meted out to a woman from the State by the Delhi Golf Club officials who asked her to leave the club premises for sporting improper attire, a Jainsem in this case.
Former Minister and president of the Shillong Golfers’ Association AL Hek slammed the discrimination against Tailin Lyngdoh, a Khasi woman who was asked to leave because she was “looking like a maid” in her traditional dress.
The woman, who works as a governess, was at the lunch party with her employer Nivedita Barthakur Sondhi at the Delhi Golf Club on Sunday.
Hek stated that it was unethical on the part of the Delhi Golf Club officials to behave in this fashion. He added that he would ask the Golf Club authority to tender a written apology to the woman.
“They should understand that Jainsem is our traditional dress,” he said.
The National People’s Party also condemned the ill-treatment meted out to Tailin Lyngdoh.
NPP spokesperson James Sangma said that the remarks made against Lyngdoh are not only an insult to the pluralistic ethos of the country but also a matter of great shame. “Despite all the efforts to bring about a change in people’s mindset in the metropolitan cities to end racism, nothing has changed,” Sangma said.
Apart from an unconditional apology from the management of the club, the NPP demanded that stringent and prompt action be taken against those directly involved in the incident.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress along with the Shillong City Mahila Congress also condemned the unwarranted act of the staff of the Delhi Golf Club.
“This is a direct insult and discrimination against the Khasi community in particular and northeasterners in general,” the Meghalaya State Mahila Congress said.
Mawlai MDC P.T. Sawkmie, also slammed the staff of the Delhi Golf Club for insulting Tailin Lyngdoh.
He urged State MPs- Wansuk Syiem, Vincent Pala and Conrad Sangma, to take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand stringent action against the culprits.
Advocate from Shillong, Fenela Lyngdoh Nonglait suggested that Tailin Lyngdoh should register a complaint with the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) or the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
The CSWO also expressed shock at the incident which according to it was “indicative of an egoistic group looking down on people like in the slave era”.
“This arrogant and ignorant attitude of the Delhi Golf Club members is not acceptable to civil society as it amounts to racial discrimination of certain persons. This is unconstitutional and a violation of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution which guarantees the right to equality, to every citizen of India,” a CSWO statement said demanding an immediate apology from the “culprits”.
Rev PBM Basaiawmoit, in a statement issued here said that the officials of Delhi Golf Club, Ajit Pal and Sumita Thakur must tender a public apology to Lyngdoh.
Basaiawmoit suggested that officials of Delhi Gold Club be given a crash course on culture and etiquette.
The incident, he said, was an insult to the Khasi people.
“Such incidents are insensitive and belie the multi-fabric Indian society. Racial profiling must stop forthwith,” he added.
