Syllabus: GS-I & V: Indian Society 

Why in the news?

The death of a young Chakma student from Tripura after being racially abused and assaulted in Dehradun has once again exposed the deep-rooted racial prejudice faced by people from India’s Northeast outside the region.

Understanding the issue

• Racial slurs against people from the Northeast are not new, but this incident marks a tragic escalation where racial abuse directly resulted in loss of life. 
• Many Northeasterners are targeted because of their Mongoloid facial features, unfamiliar food habits, accents, and cultural practices. 
• They are often stereotyped as “outsiders” despite being Indian citizens.
• At the core of this problem lies an “us versus them” mindset, driven by ignorance, racial pride, and historical isolation. 
• The Northeast has long remained geographically and psychologically distant from mainland India due to poor connectivity and limited interaction.

Why racism against NE people persists

• Ignorance about the Northeast: Limited awareness of the region’s history, diversity, and constitutional integration.
• Physical appearance-based bias: Racial profiling based on facial features rather than citizenship.
• Normalisation of casual racism: Slurs are often dismissed as “jokes” or “stray incidents”.
• Under-reporting of crimes: Victims fear retaliation, harassment, or police apathy.
• Institutional insensitivity: Casual responses by authorities trivialise serious violations of dignity.

Why this is not just a law-and-order issue

This problem cannot be solved by policing alone. While crimes like assault and murder are punishable, everyday racism operates socially, through language, behaviour, and attitudes. Unless mindsets change, legal action remains reactive, not preventive.

The casual remark by a police officer calling such violence a “stray incident” reflects how systemic indifference compounds the problem.

Legal and constitutional safeguards

India already has strong legal provisions against discrimination:

• Article 14: Guarantees equality before law.
• Article 15(1): Prohibits discrimination on grounds of race, religion, caste, sex, or place of birth.
• Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act: Addresses social exclusion and violence rooted in identity.
• International commitments:
  • United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (1965)
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Yet, implementation and social acceptance lag behind legal intent.

Why the Northeast feels alienated

• The region’s people often encounter India only through migration for education and employment, not through mutual cultural exchange.
• National media gives limited and episodic coverage to racism against Northeasterners unless violence turns fatal.
• Stereotypes persist because mainland engagement with the Northeast remains shallow.

The way forward

• Sensitisation of police and local administration to treat racial abuse as a serious offence.
• Educational reforms to integrate Northeast history and culture into national curricula.
• Public awareness campaigns against racial slurs and stereotyping.
• Stronger enforcement of constitutional protections against discrimination.
• Media responsibility to highlight everyday racism, not just extreme cases.

Why this matters for Indian democracy

India’s unity rests not just on territory, but on equal dignity of all citizens. When people are made to feel like outsiders in their own country, it weakens constitutional trust and social cohesion. Racism against Northeasterners is not a regional issue—it is a national moral failure.

Exam Hook – Mains

Question:
Racial discrimination against people from India’s Northeast reflects deeper societal biases rather than merely law-and-order failures. Examine the causes and suggest institutional and social measures to address the issue.

Key Takeaway:
Laws can punish racism, but only societal change can end it.

SOURCE