DIMAPUR, APRIL 9 (MExN): The Naga Hoho today expressed concern at instances of people from the North East being subjected to aggressive racist profiling, slurs, attacks and discrimination in the cities during the nationwide lockdown.
“There are cases reported from many places. There are also many cases which are not being reported. Many suffer such indignity silently,” a press release from the Naga Hoho stated.
Two women from Manipur, one in Delhi and the other in Mumbai were spat on by bikers. Both were called ‘Corona.’ In Ahmedabad 9 women from Nagaland were picked up for forced testing and quarantine. In Mysore and Hyderabad some students were not allowed to enter grocery stores to buy essentials. In Kolkata, a 24 year old from Sikkim who was unwell was denied entry in two hospitals, was later summoned by the police and locked in an isolation ward with others suspected of covid-19.
“While the case of racism is not new associating a pandemic to a race is unacceptable,” the Naga Hoho stated.
The Naga Hoho appealed to the Chief Ministers and MPs of Northeast states to reach out to the Prime Minister of India and urge for the safety and security of the people living in different cities and direct every state to take up cases of racism stringently and sensitize the police and people.
“India is a signatory to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and with a long history of caste and racism should have anti-racial law in place,” it reminded.
The Naga Hoho stated that no one, even if they are not Indians or are from India should face racism in the country.
