Prolonged Discrimination Against The People Of Northeast India

We inhabit a world where everyone tries to find his way of living. Some do battle for survival in their own fatherland, some have to left their native place and walk-off from their comfort zone.

Obviously, no one feels good when they left their dwelling, parents, people, colleagues behind to search and earn for living. But this is life, we work hard, bypass the comfort so that we can somehow make our forthcoming brighter and livable for our coming generations.

Generally, most people move towards Metro Cities so that they can get better pedagogy, health care, divulgence, and settle their life. But what if this adherence becomes a curse to them? The intense lighting of the cities becomes darker for them and that too by their own country’s people?

Sadly, It might be the story of our own people from North-east India. Undoubtedly, it is India’s most beautiful region and is surrounded by 5 Neighboring countries- China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan & Nepal. This region is the easternmost region which represents both a geographic and political-administrative division of the country. Here’s the brief geography.

Salient facets Of Northeast Region

The eight states which are sandwiched between the 5 countries have a different significance on their own. Siliguri is also known as “Chicken Neck”, adjoined the Northeast to the rest of India and to the center of the Gangetic Plains of the Northern region of Hindi speaking Area.

The Northeast is also known as a region of seven Sisters, with one brother. They are known as Seven Sisters because they share their boundaries Namely, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram with each other.

Whereas, Sikkim Doesn’t share boundaries with them so that’s why it is known as the Brother of these Seven Sisters. The state of Sikkim is also India’s First 100% Organic food-producing State. The use of pesticide and chemical fertilizers are completely banned in the state.

North East India is also famous for its Floating National Park in the world, pleasant climate throughout the year, the dowry-free region in India, the largest women-only market in Asia.

Assam tea gardens are famous all over the world, not only this even Northeast India also has the cleanest village in Asia named “Mawlynnong” in the state of Meghalaya. They have India’s first cashless island which is situated in Loktak lake.

They have countless stuff which is very hard for me to mention within the article. But you can read more about it here- What is North East India Famous For? 20 Things You Must Know

These are the gloriousness of the northeast, but to earn more income and better facilities, when they leave their motherland it shows a completely different picture. Discrimination as we know it starts out of some dominant stereotypes and obsolete thinking by the people who never been to these states before. But why is there so many stereotypes and discrimination still prevail in society?

And why the people of North-east India have to face alienated, racism, abuse, molestation?

Why People Of Northeast India Still Face Racism?

Just imagine you are a member of your family and your family members teasing you, beating you, acting like you don’t belong to them, you are a stranger to them. How do you feel? Their behavior towards you is just as a paying guest, despite you are the most important piece that strengthens and completes the family.

And when you go to an elder one in the house they keep ignoring your voice despite knowing everything. Likely, they suggest you seal your maw and work with the flow. How you feel at that time?

I am sure you will be broken down, dishearted, and your mind will be shattered. You will work silently because you have no idea what to do now, you have no options left to deal with it.

And this situation somewhere sounds similar to Northeastern people of India when they live in the same country with a feeling and fear of being prejudiced. They are a part of the country but their appearance and people’s attitude towards them make them feel isolated.

Usually, they have small eyes and an average height due to demographically close to China and other similar countries. They are Non-Hindi speaking people and also have a different culture like any other region of the country. But yet from the inside, they are truly Patriotic and affectionate towards the Nation.

A recent survey found that 78% of their population believed that physical appearance was the most important reason for prejudice against them. Let’s talk about the issues they generally face-

Problems Face By Northeast people In Their Own Country

A study tasked by the Indian Council Of Social Science Research (ICSSR), and hate crime against people from Northeast state found that they seamlessly fit an Indian Imagination of a Chinese Person.

The major issues they faces are:-

Acrimonious Language – During the pandemic, several incidents regarding racism came to the light. A Manipuri girl had been spat on and called “corona” by a middle-aged man. Also, they are summoned, “chinky” and Chinese virus throughout the lockdown.

A study revealed that hate violation and racial discrimination against these people are deeply rooted even in the big metro cities. Mumbai has the highest 78% of racial and abusive language-related crime, Chennai 74%, Pune 67.3% & Delhi 64%.

Violation at restaurants: These people are often abuses by teasing them to eat food allegedly made by the community in the region. They often ask stupid questions like- do they eat dogs? Do they eat snakes? These unfriendly behaviors make them feel embarrassed in public. These things are asked just to know if they belong to China. They are told to prove their nationality.

The issue in renting a house:- There are certain cases during the pandemic where people forced them to leave the house. When they deny or ask a little time they are often beaten up. Not only this, after leaving the place people sometimes don’t allow them to rent a house or resting in the hotel.

The alleged rivalry between India and China doesn’t only limit to borders only, the people who are look-alike each other are also vulnerable to be a victim of hate and discrimination.

Refusal of file FIR by the Police:- The most pervasive reason behind hate crime incidents against the Northeastern people as per the data is the public attitude and insensitivity. As many as 34% of persons faced a common issue of refusal to file FIR by the police. The Hindu report.

Northeastern Women are more sensitive to incursion:- When it comes to racial abuse, both men and women are facing it but women are more vulnerable to attack” said ‘Alana Golmei ‘ activist and lawyer who runs the Northeast Support Centre and Helpline.

She said in an interview to The Print, “earlier she used to get 3 to 4 cases in a week now she is getting 4 to 5 calls per day of racial abuse. Furthermore, the calls she received, about 60% of them are women.

Northeast India: Land of Eternal Beauty To Racial Discrimination

It’s a harsh reality that in the same country people become dominated over others. There is no doubt that India has rich diversity, many community lived here. There are so many cultures, languages, appearances exist.

As I mentioned above Northeast India is rich in culture and environment. It is one of the most famous tourist regions of India. Not only this, the Northeast has given us many heroes and social workers who make India proud.

Somewhere our media is also responsible who never showed the real beauty of the northeast because there’s no TRP doing that. And even Bollywood never showed the colors of North-east people and their beautiful culture.

From sports to acting, law to politics, the northeast has given us many champions. Some of like, Marry Com, Baichung Bhutia, Sunil Chetri, Somdev Devvarman, Former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, Famous musician RD Burman, Bhupendra Hajarika, etc. but don’t you think we are disrespecting them.

“Atithi Devo Bhawah” we used this sloka(Verse) to describe that ‘Guest Are Like God’ but when it comes to our own people’s integrity why we become biased? We disrespect them, discriminate against them, and force them to prove their patriotism. “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided”– JK Rowling said.

This is so true to be as United we have to be one, we need to be one and treat everyone the same. If we will be biased with our own family members no one will respect them anywhere. And that’s how you can make your country great?

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