“But as the world fights the pandemic virus, our brethren have been exposed to the virus of ‘racism’ more then they have been to the pandemic virus,” it alleged
KRC TIMES Manipur Bureau
The All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM), while taking serious note of the cases of racial harassment and discrimination of
northeast people at different parts of mainland India has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi into it.
During the testing time where the whole world is fighting against the pandemic Covid-19, our brethren from across the northeast states residing in mainland India has been fighting the battle on two fronts, said ATSUM.
In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, the apex tribal student body of the state, said that many of the populace from the northeast in Mainland India are semi-skilled and unskilled workers relying on their monthly salaries to support themselves in the cities.
However, with the government imposing the nationwide lockdown and the
operation of all works coming to a halt, their means for survival has been cut off.
Respecting the protocols laid down by the central and state governments, the northeast people have stayed back in the cities as dutiful citizens, said the memo.
“But as the world fights the pandemic virus, our brethren have been exposed to the virus of ‘racism’ more then they have been to the pandemic virus,” it alleged.
Back in the days before this pandemic, the words “Chinki” and “ Momo”
were the slurs meted to the people of the northeast for their mongoloid looks, but aftermath the national lockdown, the anti-Chinese sarcasm, harassment and exploitation besides branding the northeast populace in metro cities as “ Corona” has gone beyond repairs, it added.
The word “ Corona” is the word that is being shouted to the northeast when they go out to buy essentials, the memorandum continued.
Appointing big names from the film industry as ambassadors against racism and airing in PSA’s against racism on the television would go a long way in creating awareness and taking out racism, it said.
The memo added that state government, NGOs, and civil society organizations, which are selflessly working to feed the hungry at this crucial juncture of the lockdown, are expected to identify the northeastern people for easy connectivity.
