North-east girls in Delhi -VULNERABLE- Why???

Hello friends,

It has been quite long since the North-eastern Community has been crying foul about the Delhi citizens and Police discrimination against those belonging to the North-eastern states of India - Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and even Sikkim.

Specially North-east girls in Delhi, who come here for higher education and job opportunity are extremely unsafe and vulnerable in India's capital city. Today's incident of a 19 yr-old Naga girls being killed by a IIT student in Munirka reiterates the danger that looms over our girls.

Can we expect a safe living and equal justice from Delhi?

It is very sad that such incidents happen. Criminals and bad characters often target girls from the North East because they dress differently.
I think with time such problems will disappear.The media especially the press has in recent times highlighted such deviant behaviour and stressed on the need for assimilation. I believe recently even the Delhi Police was told to be sensitive to the needs of people belonging to the North East.
Lets hope things turn better.

Originally Posted by sushmasrivastav

It is very sad that such incidents happen. Criminals and bad characters often target girls from the North East because they dress differently.
I think with time such problems will disappear.The media especially the press has in recent times highlighted such deviant behaviour and stressed on the need for assimilation. I believe recently even the Delhi Police was told to be sensitive to the needs of people belonging to the North East.
Lets hope things turn better.

Hi Sushma, I strongly object to what you have said. What do you mean by saying they dress differently? And what do you mean by 'Criminals and bad characters'

What about the recent incident where school boys were arrested for molesting a Mass. Comm student from Arunachal Pradesh and victim was asked to go to the school and identify her molesters. If these schoolboys are 'criminals' how come they are in school.

If you haven't read, here's the excerpt from NDTV.com

Delhi Police have arrested two schoolboys suspected to have attacked a student from Arunachal Pradesh.

Two days ago, a girl student of Jamia Millia University was molested by schoolboys inside a government school in Bharat Nagar in New Friends Colony.

Police have arrested two Class 11 boys from Chandrashekhar Azad Higher Secondary School for molesting the 22-year-old Mass Communication student.

According to the complaint registered by the victim, she was going home Thursday afternoon in a cycle rickshaw from university, when some schoolboys passed lewd comments.

When she went inside the school to complain about students passing lewd comments, she was attacked by more students.

Don't Delhiites refer to the North-east people as CHINKY - I guess everyone does...Criminals or not.... Don' t they?

Sushma, there is nothing personal against you. What you have said is what the society in general (in Delhi) thinks.......When can Delhi provide a safe haven for women..leave alone North-east girls?

Nabanita

Dear Friends,

I guess this is a sensitive issue and my heart goes out the family of the young girl who became the victim of atrocities of a 'devil scholar'. I agree our civil society, our police and even the media should work towards sanitizing the crumbling framework of Delhi,where there is so much intolerance and insensitivity.

Just take the example, of this recent incident in Munirka, there was so much hue and cry over the topic with all the TV channels cashing on the sentiments of the dead and the affected. Come next day...did you hear again from the channels? NO...because they found another scoop...yes I say scoop because if their job is to reveal a story, shouldn't they pursue it...even if not make it a headline?

And, our society can only sit and watch saying "as it has not happened to me and my family, why should I poke my nose"; without the thought that this 'devils' are on the prowl and the next target may be YOU.

Isn't it time, we take the small step of expressing our solidarity to all the students from north-east or any other part of India and make them feel comfortable and safe in Delhi?And what better medium than INDUSLADIES.COM which helps us reach to people and communities in every part of India and the world.

Please share your opinion.


Rgds,
Preeti

Thank you everyone who posted their opinion here. I can see my forum friends are not very interested in discussing this topic.

Well, for all those who are keeping a track on this issue..here is the latest update - an excerpt from DNA, dated November 4, 2009.

It took Ramchanphy Hongray's brutal murder last month to wake up the government to regular instances of violence and misbehaviour with women from the north-east (NE) in metros.The government has decided to provide extra safety in areas where people from the NE reside.
click here

Women and child development minister (WCD) Krishna Tirath has said that special police kiosks are being set up in areas of metro cities that have a high concentration of people from the NE. Women and plainclothes police officers will manage these kiosks and keep an eye on eve-teasers and molesters. The minister said the police would take complaints by NE girls on a priority basis and launch a special sensitisation programme for both the police and public "to help them understand the NE culture."

"The status of women in NE society is comparatively better than that of many in other states, particularly north India which is more patriarchal and where women are not given due respect. Often, casual greetings and friendly demeanour (by women from the northeast) is misconstrued and taken as an invitation to intimacy. The offender is unable to judge... and erroneously assumes that more can be read into a mere formal relationship.

If their assumptions are not pampered, these male offenders get enraged and either forcibly try to subjugate these women or plan revenge to punish them. The recent murder of the Naga girl was one such case," Tirath said.

According to North East Support Centre and Helpline, an NGO that helps the distressed NE population in cities, Delhi reports the maximum number of complaints of crime against NE people (both men and women). Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Mumbai are some other cities where NE people face problems.

"No doubt, racial discrimination is highest in Delhi but in other cities, too, NE students are victims of crime, name-calling and discrimination. Unfortunately, the attitude of the police is very discouraging. The offenders need to be arrested and punished so that a strong message goes to society that nobody can get away with such behaviour. But the police never take our problems seriously," said Madhu Chandra of North East Support Centre and Helpline.

The NGO's survey found that 86% of NE Indians face discrimination in Delhi and surrounding areas. Words like "chinkies", "Nepalis, "free culture" and "strangers" are hurled at them, alienating them in their own country.

Among those who face discrimination, 22.5% reported physical attacks, 3.75% sexual assault and 35% complained of vulgar remarks. There were also cases of beating by locals and harassment by landlords, police and employers.

Meanwhile, the government said it was undertaking campaigns to create awareness about the culture and traditions of NE in all metro cities "so that people understand them better." Besides, helplines are being set up, especially for women.

In cities, rooms identified under the 'bread and breakfast scheme' to accommodate tourists will be encouraged to keep NE girls as paying guests. "Some of these safe homes will be identified for working girls from the NE," Tirath said.

Educational institution or colleges where students from NE study need to designate a faculty member to be the liaison officer for all such students. Women protection officers designated in districts have been asked to take cases of NE girls on priority.

Do you think things will improve from here. Give your suggestions.

Sad indeed....hope people become more tolerant towards other communities and enjoy the diverse cultures of India. I feel there should be more awareness programmes in cities like Delhi, where NE students are facing problems. There can be exhibitions on food, culture, lifestyle, cinema and music apart from cultural exchange programmes that will include trips, etc.

Any more suggestions...Hope someone who can make a difference is reading this..



Rgds,
Mayuri

That's a great suggestion Mayuri. I feel the real problem is people's ignorance about their own countrymen. India is such a diverse country, but while most of us take pride in knowing how Americans, Italians and Scandinavians live...we are never bothered about the culture and lifestyle of people living in different parts of India.

I think we should have more cultural interactions and exchange programmes at the grassroot level - schools and colleges; so that children grow up with a broad outlook.

Would like to more thoughts about it from our forum friends....

Thanks,
Sonia

Originally Posted by MayuriBordoloi

Sad indeed....hope people become more tolerant towards other communities and enjoy the diverse cultures of India. I feel there should be more awareness programmes in cities like Delhi, where NE students are facing problems. There can be exhibitions on food, culture, lifestyle, cinema and music apart from cultural exchange programmes that will include trips, etc.

Any more suggestions...Hope someone who can make a difference is reading this..



Rgds,
Mayuri