“I am going through an identity crisis”, laments Shingram Rajshree, a 19 year old Sociology student hailing from Manipur, studying in Delhi. Her thought is shared by many students from North East India, who come to the mainland in search of better education, but are subjected to racist attacks. These issues become intermingled with politics of the region forcing the media to take up a stand. This was what happened with the brutal killing of a 19 year old Manipuri boy, Nido Tania, in Lajpat Nagar market in New Delhi. The north east community which continues to face a lot of problems owing to the discrimination that they face from the mainland India came out on the streets.
“This is not the first instance”, says Dr. Tennyson, professor at the Centre for Afghani Studies, Jamia MIllia Islamia. Yet he feels this incident will help in galvanizing voices against racism.
Shingram Rajshree laughs when she remembers how her Chinese friends knew more about Manipur than her Indian counterparts.
Anti-racism slogans and candle light marches took centrestage in not only Jantar Mantar, New Delhi but also in the living rooms of the entire nation. The protests raised some pertinent questions for the mainstream media and for the people to think about on a larger scale.
Would Tania get justice or will this fight against racism die a natural death?
“Sensitization is the key to bringing sustained change and that is what one should aim for” believes Mr. Kokho, assistant professor at the Center of North East Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia.
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