Are Northeast citizens victims of Racism in India?

11 July 2009

Morungexpress opinion poll

Some of those who voted yes had this to say:
• All I want is to let some of these local Goons and self made Bosses in Kohima and Dimapur to land up in Bihar and get bash up by these Coolies and Miyas they bully around here.

• Just like we treat the Biharis and Miyas with much disdain, we are too treated the same when we go outside. If we want them to treat us good, we must learn to respect them no matter what status they belong to while they are here in our place.
• Yes, racism exists in India and I am sorry to say that northeast students are one of the main targets in places like Delhi. Northeast students are badly treated and looked down upon and are called all kinds of names. Some may even say that the lifestyle of those from northeast may warrant such name callings, but racism is not justified, no matter what.
• Yes there is racism in India against the people of the northeast. Every day one has to live with the humiliation meted out on northeast students in Delhi university.
• Yes, the northeasterners are the targets of racist remarks especially in northern parts of India. The student community in Delhi are the ones who are the hardest lot. We the north easterners will have to reform the issue so that the level of racism do not escalate to communal warfare.
• Any Naga outside Nagaland in India is first called by the name of CHINKI. Or the worst, these mainland people cannot differentiate Nagas from Nepalese. The insult hurts, but we should wisely make them know who we are and where we are from. Modesty will pay dividends.
• Our people should realise that we are been treated the same way like we treat these Biharis and Miyas. Dont think we can do the same treatment outside our place. The Biharis can really bash us up in Bihar.
• We are the ones who started this racism in our own land. We must learn to behave with outsiders.
• Its the Angamis in Kohima and Semas in Dimapur who are the most boastful people around in town. The outsiders like the Miyas and coolies from Bihar are so badly treated that they will vow to revenge when we come to their place. Dont think we are the only ones living.
• The worst remark we get is being called a Nepali.
• We should first behave ourselves.
• Nagas should know that we are living under the Indians and that they are mightier than us in all the fields.
• The issue of racism do not confine to the mainland only. We Nagas are not far behind when it comes to ISM. We ourselves are the ones who think our tribe is the best and look to the others as one inferior to us. So the question of racism when we go outside shouldn’t be a big issue, though its hurting our sentiments.
• Definitely, we northeast people are the butt of jokes for the Indians, And why not? We dont have much to be talked of in good way. Even the political issue puzzles them. Who will understand why there are so many Factions fighting for free Nagaland? Is it possible that two or more groups are fighting for the same cause? The Indians think we are fools only.
• Definitely YES!!! People living in mainland esp. Delhites think of us very low. They have bad impressions on us. Maybe its the fault of our people’s arrogance in ignorance. We should change our attitudes too.
• Without a doubt. The caste system of the Indian system itself shows that there is an inherent policy of discrimination. Ambedkar wanted to do away with the caste system all together, but Gandhi rather than doing away with the caste system only wanted to reform it. This difference was because Ambedkar himself was an untouchable and so wanted to do away with racism, but Gandhi since he was from a upper caste wanted to only reform it. The northeast people are considered the lowest of the low in this caste system and so obviously are racially discriminated in all walks of life in India. Their superiority complex makes them think northeasterners cannot do anything well.
• When we go outside the state, we must learn to adapt to the place we are in. Do not try to be arrogant as we are when we are at home. These deshwallis and miyas here who literally worships you at home can become monsters at their hometowns. Dont think you are going to get the same treatment there too. You will be in for a surprise.
• Yes, northeastern citizens are badly treated in India. There is so much racism and the northeasterners are looked down and degraded. This is one of the reasons why Indian society is not growing. Northeasterners are not treated equally in India.
• One simple reason is our feature which is distinctly different from the main stream people. We are often taken as Nepali and when we say we are from the NE states many are ignorant of the place. So point is if they don’t know what/where is NE of India how do we expect to treat as one of them.

Some of those who voted no had this to say:
• I don’t think the way Northeast people are treated in India is based on racism. In some states, the Indian people are more open and broad minded and are more tolerant and accepting and they warm up to northeasterners. But in some places, the people themselves are uncouth and mistreat everyone and anyone who they consider as outsiders. This is especially true of Delhi, which is a city of refugees who are very dangerous when in packs; like a pack of wolves. The common person in Delhi is very rude and they mistreat everyone, including their own kind. In this the northeasterners are the soft targets because they are a minority in Delhi and because they don’t have any political power, their voices are never heard. But I will still not say there is racist attacks against Northeasterners, but they are mistreated very badly and Indians must feel ashamed of it.
• The way Indians treat outsiders are more because of their lack of ethos and education and less to do with racism.
• How northeast citizens are treated in India cannot be generalized because it is different in every place. In south India, the people are more friendly and warm and receptive to northeast, but in north India, it is not the same. The people are more vulgar and discriminate people from northeast. So I will say that the Indians don’t discriminate the northeast citizens, but I will say that the government of India discriminates the northeast along racial lines. Their view of the government is very Brahminical and the northeast just not on the radar screen.

Some of those who voted others had this to say:
• The practice of racism is there across all cultures, there is no denying that. But it has acquired more interest because of the attack on Indian students in Australia. I myself am not sure if it is racially motivated. I know for sure that Indian students whether in Australia or in other countries often keep to themselves and actually indulge in practices like they do in India, which may otherwise be seen in a bad light in other countries. A lot of Indian students instead of going to colleges are busy earning a living by doing odd jobs, but are actually working without working permits. This infuriates local citizens there; and may have therefore prompted people to react wrongly and violently. I therefore am not convinced that the attacks are racially motivated, because most of the victims are only students or young people. If it was racism all people of Indian origin irrespective of age and sex would be bearing the brunt of the attacks. Now as far as northeast people are concerned. There is no doubt that we are not treated equally. We are looked down and humiliated and abused and poked fun at. But again I am not sure it is racism. There is a lot of stereotype against northeast citizens, and these stereotypes are often thrown at us in a vulgar way, and those responsible are mostly the uneducated Indians, who in the same breath will also mistreat a Bihari, or a Malu or a Bengali.
• Our people esp. Nagas in general and esp. Dimapurians have so much disdain for the immigrants and plain landers in general. The underground boys and men who think they are the Boss of what they survey should get some taste of their own medicine from these Miyas and Coolies. If these Naga Bosses ever sets foot beyond Nagaland gate, they are nothing but laughing stocks of these miyas and Biharis. They will smash u to smithereens if you happen to cross their path whilst in their domain.Donot underestimate these people. After all, we live in a very small place called Nagaland. We are bound to go outside oneday..or even ur sons and daughters will. Dont let them suffer racism just because you are bossing over these Miyas and Biharis today.
• Naga brothers..and motherland fighters. Your callous and barbaric treatment of these Indians in Nagaland has a vicious cycle and a negative feedback to our society. We cannot stay in mainland without facing Racist remarks or for that matter, become their butt of jokes.
• If you want racism to extinction, firstly..Naga bros and sis..be kind and good to others(Non-Nagas). Dont think we are the only people in this world. Its the fools who do not see other world thinks he or she is the boss.
• The way we treat each other is all based on power. In Delhi, Nagas are mistreated by the local people there, in Kohima, the locals treat the outsiders with distaste and with a superior mindset. I don’t know if this is because of racism, or is it because of power and a superior attitude. It comes down to the individual to either treat another person equally or to discriminate.
[The Morung Express]

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