Strayed Too Far North-East?

Bangalore: 23 year old Dana S Sangma, niece of Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma, recently committed suicide after she was allegedly caught cheating in an exam.  The sad demise and the ensuing allegations of racial discrimination have made people question the credibility of the nature of the accusation. Is it true that North-Easterners have been discriminated against in mainland India? Have they been made to feel like aliens in their own land?

Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma and Union Minister Agatha Sangma certainly seem to believe so. When asked if there was any base in the allegation made, Union Minister Agatha Sangma told TOI that although she did not face any racial discrimination at institutional level like in university or politics, she has experienced it on day-to-day basis. She said derogatory comments and name-callings such as ‘chinkki’ are pretty common. When asked how does she react to such situations, she said, ‘’ I always tell myself they are ill-informed people and ignore them." While she may choose to ignore, bereaved uncle of Dana Sangma and CM of Meghalaya, Mukul Sangma has different plans. Mr. Sagma has written to the HRD minister demanding for a law that will act as a "deterrent" for all those with "limited knowledge of the huge diversity of the nation’’ from engaging in such shameful activities.

This, however does not answer the question of whether the incident was in fact an act of racial discrimination. Should there be a separate law protecting the interests of North-Eastern people when similar experiences are felt among people from all parts of the country? How many times have we not heard someone we know, making fun of a ‘Sardar’ or a ‘Marwadi’ or a ‘Madrasi’. Would such a law in fact be unfair? The answer to the question depends on perhaps the severity of the discrimination, and should be carefully deliberated over before taking any decision.