Randeep Kaur
Imagine you have been living in Delhi for
couple of years, when one day suddenly Delhi cops started staring at you
as though you committed a crime.Even as you try and figure out where you went wrong, they come to you and start asking irrelevant questions. And who wouldn’t protest on being challenged on identity, especially if it becomes the norm rather than the exception. Metrolife discovers that there are some innocent people of our country for whom these awkward moments with the police have become a daily part of their lives.
You guessed it. I am talking about our brethren from the North East. They are being targeted by cops after the Tibetan activist Jamphel Yeshi’s immolation. Racial profiling for North-Easterners began just a day after the incident –actually a bid to pre-empt protests during Hu Jintao’s recent visit during the BRICS conference.
A couple of people were hounded away by cops from Khan Market and some in Manju Ka Tila were stopped and questioned, while still others were stopped several times and asked for passports and ID proofs.
Even though Delhi High Court has directed Delhi Police not to harass people from Northeast and Ladakh because they share facial similarity with Tibetans but a few are still scared to step out of their houses. Temsumenba Jamir , a student of DU from Nagaland says, “I am very scared of stepping out of my homes. I am innocent but believe me I didn’t go to college the day I heard about this incident.”
Lenti Aier who works at EHA as a counselor and shares, “The cops need to think twice before ill-treating them because the democracy and freedom of expression is enshrined in the Constitution which can be used by us too.”
Jotam Toko Tagam, pursuing B.Tech, from Delhi and also President, Arunachal Students Union, Delhi says, “My friend and I were heading towards Arunachal Bhavan when we were stopped near Maitreyi College. The the questioning was normal, but I sure that I will be stopped by the police even after and it happened. But I understand that they are doing their duty. Our duty is to ensure that we carry proper IDs. What made me feel bad was that I was questioned by the constable even after he had checked my ID proof and then by his senior. I am surprised that Delhi Police still can’t distinguish between Tibetans and us from the North East. Our surnames easily distinguish us but the problem is they don’t know about us and don’t bother to know about us either.”
But they are facing discrimination not just from the cops but from their countrymen too. Says Tagam, “Cobbler ho ya koi bada officer koi fark nahi dikhta, sabke mukh sey nikalta hai chinky ya Nepali.”
The common refrain is to be accepted by their own people. “India is so large. You have no idea how diverse it is, so explore it and then comment. You cannot just by looking at us say whether we are Nepalese, Chinese or Tibetan. How would you feel if we were to label you from Pakistan or Bangladesh? Wouldn’t that be hurting your sentiments? Since childhood, I was brought up to think like an Indian. But Delhi has changed me and my opinion.”