The Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly strongly condemned incidents of racial discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in different parts of the country and urged the Centre to bring in a strict anti-racism law.The issue was raised in the Assembly by Nationalist People’s Party (NPP) MLA Thangwang Wangham through a short duration discussion. He expressed concern over repeated cases of racial abuse and said such incidents were deeply disturbing for people from the region.Referring to a recent case, Wangham mentioned an incident that took place on February 20 in the Malviya Nagar area of New Delhi. According to him, three women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly subjected to racial slurs and verbal abuse by a couple after a dispute related to repair work of an air conditioner in their rented apartment.
The argument later escalated and the women were reportedly targeted with insulting remarks about people from the Northeast. A video of the incident circulated widely on social media, drawing public criticism and leading to police action.Wangham also recalled the 2014 death of Arunachalee youth Nido Tania in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi. Tania, who was 20 years old, was allegedly beaten by shopkeepers after an argument during which his appearance and ethnic identity were mocked. He later died due to severe injuries, sparking protests across the country and raising concerns about racism against people from the Northeast.Calling such incidents “humiliating and unacceptable,” Wangham said many people in other parts of the country still have little understanding of the Northeast and its contribution to the nation.
He pointed out that people from the region have made sacrifices for the country and continue to play an important role in protecting India’s borders.The MLA urged the government to take strong measures and appealed to the Centre to enact a comprehensive anti-racism law to ensure protection for people from the Northeast. He also called on Members of Parliament from the region to raise the issue strongly at the national level. Several other lawmakers who participated in the discussion also condemned the incident and demanded strict action against those responsible.
