Guwahati, May 13: Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has written a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking his intervention, and measures to strengthen institutional response for the safety and dignity of women and citizens from the Northeast in New Delhi.
The letter comes in the wake of reports of two women from Assam and Bihar being allegedly molested, assaulted and subjected to racist abuse by a group of men at Nehru Place, New Delhi in the early hours of May 10, 2026.
Expressing deep concern, Gogoi stated that according to media reports, the women were having tea outside a hotel when a group of men began catcalling and making derogatory racial remarks.
“What began as verbal harassment reportedly escalated into physical assault, with the women alleging that their clothes were torn and that they were violently abused in public,” he stated.
“Delhi Police subsequently confirmed that the women had been racially targeted and assaulted. This incident is deeply disturbing not only because of its brutality, but because it reflects a recurring and deeply entrenched pattern faced by women and citizens from the Northeastern states in the national capital,” the Congress leader stated.
“In another disturbing incident reported in March 2026, a lawyer from Manipur and her transwoman friend were allegedly racially abused and attacked by a group of teenage boys inside a park in South Delhi, with reports stating that a knife was used during the assault. Four juveniles were reportedly detained in connection with the incident,” he stated.
“Only weeks earlier, in February 2026, three women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly racially abused and intimidated in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, following a minor neighbourhood disagreement,” he added.
Gogoi said such recurrent incidents are not isolated episodes, but part of a longer and deeply troubling pattern of prejudice, profiling and violence faced by people from the North Eastern states in the national capital.
“They painfully revive memories of earlier acts of targeted violence — including the tragic killing of Nido Tania in Delhi in 2014 after he was mocked for his appearance, and more recently, the death of Anjel Chakma, a student from Tripura, following an assault in 2025. Together, these incidents reflect the continuing insecurity and discrimination experienced by many citizens from the North East,” he stated.
Gogoi further stated that despite the introduction of several measures over the years by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police — including SPUNER, the 24×7 Helpline 1093, the North East Assistance Team (NEAT), dedicated nodal officers, and sensitisation initiatives, incidents of racial harassment, violence and intimidation against citizens from the North Eastern states continue to recur with alarming regularity.
“The persistence of such cases indicates that these measures have not adequately translated into safety, deterrence, or institutional confidence for those they were intended to protect,” he stated in the letter to Shah.
“In the light of these repeated incidents, I urge the Ministry to review whether the existing institutional mechanisms for the safety of Northeast citizens in Delhi are functioning effectively on the ground. While several measures exist on paper, recurring cases of racial harassment and violence indicate serious gaps in implementation, accessibility, and public confidence,” he appealed.
“In this regard, the Ministry may consider reviewing the responsiveness and effectiveness of existing support and grievance mechanisms for Northeast citizens in Delhi; strengthening accountability in cases involving racial harassment and crimes against women through timely registration, investigation and prosecution and expanding awareness and outreach regarding available helplines, legal protections and support systems,” Gogoi stated.
He further underscored the importance of holding periodic consultations with student bodies, women’s groups and community organisations from the Northeast to identify gaps and improve institutional response.
Calling for strict and time-bound action in all cases involving racial abuse, intimidation and violence, Gogoi said, “As the national capital, Delhi must embody the constitutional values of equality, dignity and security for every Indian citizen irrespective of region, ethnicity, language or appearance.”
“Citizens from the Northeastern states contribute immensely to the social, educational and economic life of the city. They deserve not only protection in law, but also confidence in the institutions meant to safeguard them,” he added.
