Racist attack: Helpline for people from Northeast will soon be set up, says Rijiju

Gurgaon, Oct 18: Helpline for people from Northeast will be set up in major cities starting from Gurgaon in the wake of the recent racist attacks.

This was today announced by Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who was here to review the law and order situation following an attack on three youths from Nagaland by locals on Wednesday night.

The Minister said he has approved setting up of an exclusive helpline for the people of Northeast living in Gurgaon, on the outskirts of Delhi.

"If the helpline will prove to be beneficial in checking such incidents, it will be replicated across metro cities where people from Northeast region live in the country," he said.

He said he has already met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue and the "government of India is 100 per cent committed to not allow repeat of such incidents."

"No stone will be left unturned to control such type of hate and racist attacks against Northeast people. Integrity and solidarity of the country will not be allowed to be disintegrated as the people of the Northeast region have equal rights," the Minister added.

He also said the Centre will soon implement recommendations of the committee formed in February, 2014 to look into various concerns of persons hailing from the Northeastern states who are living in different parts of the country, especially the metropolitan areas, and to suggest suitable remedial measures.

The committee headed by M P Bezbaruah, a North Eastern Council member, was formed following widespread outrage over the death of Nido Taniam, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, in a racist attack in Delhi. It submitted its report to Rijiju on July 11. Among the recommendations were legal measures to ensure safety and security of people from Northeast.

"The Home Ministry will implement recommendations of the committee headed by M P Bezbaruah," Rijiju said.

PTI