The alleged racial abuse and intimidation faced by three women from Arunachal in Delhi's Malviya Nagar has led to an outrage, with several leaders from the Northeast voicing their concerns over the issue.
The incident, which took place on Monday, involved a dispute between the three women from Arunachal Pradesh and their neighbours, Harsh Singh and his wife Ruby Jain. The argument started after the debris from drilling work being done at the women's apartment fell on the floor below them.
Amid the heated exchange between the accused couple and the women, Singh and his wife allegedly directed racial slurs and sexist remarks towards the latter, calling them “momo” and asking whether they worked at a “massage parlour”. An FIR was lodged against them under relevant sections.
Northeast politicians call for ‘equal respect’, seek strict action
Reacting to the incident, Pema Khandu, chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh – from where the three women originally hail – said that “such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and has no place in our society.”
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to the incident, Pema Khandu, chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh – from where the three women originally hail – said that “such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and has no place in our society.”
{{/usCountry}}Khandu strongly condemned the incident, and said that he spoken to the Commissioner of Police in Delhi and sought “swift and strict action.” “The CP is personally in touch with me. The accused are currently absconding, and I have been assured that they will be apprehended at the earliest and dealt with as per law,” the Arunachal CM said, adding that the “safety, dignity, and justice” of the three women was the “highest priority.”
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi termed the incident “deeply disturbing”, asserting that it was a “stark reminder that prejudice against people from the North-East still persists.”
He said that the incident cannot be dismissed as a routine dispute, and urged authorities to ensure accountability and provide the complainants “full protection and support.” “Equal citizenship should translate into equal respect and equal protection in every part of the country,” Gogoi added.
Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma said incidents like these should “not just be a headline, sensationalized, forgotten and revived every time a fresh incident appears.” Speaking to reporters on Monday, Sangma said there was “no excuse” for the words used by the accused. ""As a state, as a region, as a country, we are working to move forward; these kinds of words move us two steps back," the Meghalaya CM said.
Former Manipur CM N Biren Singh also condemned the incident, saying that such behaviour “has no place in a diverse and democratic nation” like India. “Racism against any North Easterner is an assault on our collective dignity,” he said while urging strict action against the accused.