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Widespread condemnation of racial abuse of NE women in Delhi, UP; stringent action sought
Scindia said he was “deeply disturbed” and had taken up the matter with Delhi Police.
Itanagar/Kohima: A wave of condemnation has swept across the northeast after three women from Arunachal Pradesh (AP) and a resident doctor from Nagaland faced alleged racial abuse and sexual harassment in two separate incidents in Delhi and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Union minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, and several chief ministers have condemened the incidents and sought swift action in the two cases.
Reacting to the Delhi incident where three women from AP faced racial slurs and threats by neighbours in Malviya Nagar, Scindia said he was “deeply disturbed” and had taken up the matter with both chief minister Pema Khandu and Delhi Police.
“An FIR has been registered, and I am assured the accused will be apprehended swiftly. Any injustice against our brothers and sisters from the Northeast will not be tolerated,” he said on X.
Reacting to the incident, which reportedly occurred on February 20, Khandu described it as “shameful” and “absolutely unacceptable”. In a social media post, Khandu said he had spoken to the Delhi Police commissioner immediately after learning about the incident and sought swift and strict action.
“The accused are currently absconding, and I have been assured that they will be apprehended at the earliest and dealt with as per law,” he said, adding that the safety, dignity and justice of the victims remain the government’s highest priority.
Arunachal deputy chief minister Chowna Mein termed the incident “deeply condemnable and utterly unacceptable”, saying such behaviour violated the spirit of unity and mutual respect.
Women and child development minister Dasanglu Pul said discrimination against people from the Northeast “will never be tolerated”, asserting that Arunachal residents deserve dignity and safety anywhere in India.
Chief ministers across the Northeast reacted strongly.
Meghalaya CM Conrad K. Sangma said racial and sexual harassment of Northeastern women should not be treated as episodic headlines, while former Manipur CM N. Biren Singh called racism against any Northeasterner “an assault on our collective dignity”.
Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang said the episode underscored the need to uphold dignity and mutual respect for all citizens.
The Indian National Congress also condemned the incident, describing it as “not merely an act of individual cruelty but an abuse of power”.
In a statement, the party alleged that the episode reflected a broader pattern of racism and discrimination faced by people from the Northeast across the country.
According to police and complainants, the incident occurred on February 20 at the women’s rented flat when dust from AC installation work fell onto the lower floor, triggering a dispute with neighbours Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain. The women alleged the couple hurled racial slurs, sexually derogatory remarks and threats targeting their Northeastern identity.
A video circulating online shows the accused woman allegedly using the slur “momo” and accusing the tenants of running a massage parlour, while police attempted to pacify both sides.
Delhi Police said an FIR has been registered at Malviya Nagar police station against the couple under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 79 (insulting modesty of a woman), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 196 (promoting enmity on grounds of race/place of birth, etc.) and 3(5) (common intention). No arrests have been made so far.
Advocate Reena Rai, representing the women, said the case reflected persistent racial prejudice faced by Northeastern residents in the capital. The complainants have demanded a formal apology, saying the abuse was “an affront to the entire Northeastern community”.
Doctor from Nagaland harassed in Gorakhpur
In Nagaland, minister Salhoutuonuo Kruse on Tuesday condemned the incident racial harassment and physical assault of a third-year resident doctor from AIIMS Gorakhpur as deeply concerning.
“I strongly condemn the reported incident involving racial harassment, stalking and alleged physical assault of a resident doctor from Nagaland near AIIMS Gorakhpur. Such incidents are deeply concerning and have no place in a society that values equality, dignity and mutual respect,” Kruse, who is also the first and only female minister in the northeast state, told HT.
She categorically said that any form of racial abuse or targeted harassment is unacceptable and undermines the constitutional values of unity and inclusiveness. While appreciating that a case has been registered in the matter, the minister urged upon the authorities to conduct a fair, prompt and thorough investigation so that justice is delivered in accordance with the law.
Kruse also mentioned that doctors and healthcare professionals work under immense pressure and ensuring their safety and well-being both within and outside their workplaces is a shared responsibility of the institutions, authorities and the community at large.
“It is equally important that institutions take proactive steps to foster a safe and inclusive environment for students and professionals from all regions of the country, particularly those working far from their home states,” she added.
Expressing similar sentiments, Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer I Himato Zhimomi, who is currently serving as a principal secretary in Nagaland, termed it a “shameful” act that is “horrendous to the core”.
“The racial & sexual abuse of a Naga doctor at AIIMS Gorakhpur is shameful and horrendous to the core. This follows the recent racist and sexist slurs experienced by NE women in Delhi and by roving unruly tourists in Arunachal Pradesh. This has to stop, whatever it takes,” the official posted on X.
