As the coronavirus dread grips the country, cases have been reported against racial discrimination where people have turned biased against natives of North-East Indian states, passing racial slurs and harassing them, as per media reports.

The Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of State for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju also expressed concerns about the growing cases of racial discrimination. The Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh took to Twitter to ask authorities to take strict action against racial discrimination. He wrote: “I'm sad to see such racial discrimination in many parts of India. Anyone whoever discriminates people of other community, region, religion or race are (sic) the real enemy virus. All State Governments must take strict action as per the direction of the Govt of India.”

Rijiju also shared the notice from Ministry of Home Affairs asking all states and union territories to take necessary action against those who are harassing people from the North-East by linking them with the novel coronavirus.

The ministry in the statement said: “It has come to notice of the ministry that people from the North-East have been facing harassment after the occurrence of Covid-19 in the country. There have been cases where people of the North-East, including the athletes and sportspersons, have been harassed by linking them to Covid-19. This is racially discriminatory, inconvenient, and painful to them.”

The ministry further added, “It is requested that all law enforcing agencies in your state/ut may please be sensitized to take appropriate action in cases of harassment when these are reported.”

Recently in North-East Delhi, a case had been reported where a man harassed a female belonging to a North-Eastern state by linking her with coronavirus. The man also spat on the lady. The woman immediately lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police and the investigation is underway against the miscreant.

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