Educate Rest of India About North East to Prevent Such Crimes: Himanta Sarma
Image credit: PTI via The Hindu
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday called for greater awareness about North East India across the country to prevent incidents such as the killing of Tripura student Angel Chakma in Dehradun. Terming the incident “sad and unfortunate,” the Chief Minister said those responsible must face strict punishment to act as a deterrent.
Interacting with media persons in Guwahati, Mr. Sarma said that harsh action against the accused would send a strong message nationwide and help ensure such incidents do not recur. He stressed that people from the North East are proud Indians and should not face discrimination or racial abuse elsewhere in the country.
“The people in the rest of the country should be educated about the region and its people,” he said, adding that stronger communication and interaction between the North East and other parts of India were necessary to foster mutual understanding.
The Chief Minister said the Assam government strongly condemned the attack and conveyed condolences to the victim’s family. He noted that there had been no such incidents involving students from the region in the past five years and expressed hope that it would not be repeated.
Responding to a query, Mr. Sarma said the State government does not currently maintain data on the number of students from Assam and other North Eastern States studying outside the region. However, he added that such information could be collected if required.
Angel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, was attacked in Dehradun by a group of intoxicated individuals who allegedly hurled racial slurs. He succumbed to his injuries 16 days later, triggering widespread protests by students across North Eastern States and in Delhi.
Our Final Thoughts
The incident has once again highlighted the need for awareness, sensitivity and stronger action against hate-driven crimes to ensure the safety and dignity of students from the North East across India.