Discrimination against North-East People of India

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There is no justification to racial discrimination and attacks on Indians outside the country. Yet, in our own country, the same is repeatedly faced by people from the North East and no one even bats an eyelid.

According to a study conducted by the North East Support Centre & Helpline reveals some shocking realities. Nearly 86 per cent of people from the North East face racial discrimination living in Delhi and NCR. The study was conducted from samples of north easterners living in north Delhi, south Delhi and Gurgaon. The sample 80 students included newcomers and those who have spent two years or more here.

While newcomers and those who have spent less than two years in the national capital don't feel prejudiced against for reasons of looks, culture and language, 14 per cent said didn't have a problem with people calling them chinkies, Nepalis, and strangers and painting their life style as 'easy'. Half of those who said that they did not face racial discrimination had spent less than two years living in Delhi. The study reveals that the longer one stays in Delhi, the higher are his/her chances of facing racial discrimination.

Racial discrimination against north east communities in the national capital was consistently rising through 2005 till 2007, when the North East Support Centre & Helpline was launched. As per the media records collected from 2005 till date by North East Support Centre & Helpline, 10 (29 per cent) of racial discrimination cases occurred in 2005, 2 (6 per cent) in 2006 (did not get a proper recording), 12 (35 per cent) in 2007, 6 (18 per cent) in 2008 and 4 (12 per cent) in 2009. There was a surprising drop in the cases in 2008, but the rising numbers once again in the current year is a cause of concern.

Racial discrimination against Indians outside the country must be dealt with, but before that let's fix our own home.