SHILLONG: The North Shillong unit of the National People’s Party (NPP) shot off a letter to Delhi Golf Club President Siddharth Shriram on Sunday’s incident where a Khasi lady was humiliated for wearing Jainsem.
Member of NPP and advocate Erwin Sutnga wrote a letter of protest on the issue pointing out that the Khasis consider Jainsem as the “national traditional dress”.
He asked Shriram to update his knowledge on the diverse cultures.
Sutnga demanded an apology to Tailin Lyngdoh and to the people who have been insulted by the action and comments of the club.
NESO resentment
Meanwhile, in a statement to the media, the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has expressed its resentment at the humiliation suffered by Lyngdoh.
Terming the incident as ‘ignorance at its worst’, the organisation stated that the act of the officials of Delhi Golf Club is not just an insult to this particular Khasi lady but an offence to the entire race.
The organisation maintained that it is not an isolated incident as people from the North East have been facing harassment and assault, which are at times fatal, in different parts of the mainland.
Grand Council of Chiefs
Chairman of the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya John F. Kharshiing wrote to Nand Kumar Sai, former MP and Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) urging him to appeal for action under Article 338A Sections 5, 6 and 7 and to report to the President of India regarding dress discrimination.
He stated that failure to comply with the numerous directives of NCST to the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding implementation of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement of August 1948 is the cause for constitutional discrimination against the tribal Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people by the majority of India.
Club reaction
Members of Shillong Club have expressed shock and condemned the treatment meted out to Tailin Lyngdoh for wearing a traditional dress at the Delhi Gold Club.
The administrator of Shillong Club has also sent a letter to the secretary of Delhi Golf Club and demanded disciplinary action against those involved in the incident.
The letter stated that the “crude behaviour emanating from the ignorance of your management is not acceptable and is considered an insult to the Khasi culture”.
