By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Social profiling is responsible for the unprecedented racial discrimination, which people from North Eastern (NE) states of India have to face, in New Delhi and NCR. This was the main argument of a paper presented by Madhu Chandra, a human rights activist in a seminar on Sexual Abuse, Social Discrimination and Economic Exploitation, here in New Delhi on July 24, 2010.
As per the Constitutional definition of discrimination, social profiling is a form of discrimination and thereby a crime as per Article 15 of Indian Constitution. Article 15 of Constitution of India says, “The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them.”
Ms. Chandra pointed out that, the notion of social profiling essentially operates on the level of opinion formed by the society on the basis of ones appearance and culture. For instance as part of the mindset of social profiling, people in Delhi and NCR think that people from North East follow free culture particularly in terms of sexual relationship. It is a widely held belief among the North Indians, that North Eastern girls are “easily available,” and thereby one can treat them the way one likes.
Once a community is socially profiled, ones economic, social, educational and professional status does not matter and everyone is looked upon socially and racially with low image. Social profiling is against the idea of unity in diversity, some thing India is very proud of. It is also a deterrent for communities to integrate in the mainstream.
How much violence and discrimination this kind of social profiling perpetuates, is quite evident from the study done by North East Support Centre & Helpline (NESCH). A study by NESCH in 2009, substantiates the fact that 86% of North East people living in Delhi and NCR, face racial discrimination in one form or another, ranging from sexual abuse, physical attacks, vulgar remarks, social profiling to economic exploitation.
Another study conducted by NESCH in 2008 found out, that 50% of the cases of sexual abuse were faced by girls from North east. This disturbing pattern got worst by the fact that, 2009 saw highest number of violence against people from North East.
In 3 years (2005-08), the total number of cases of violence against NE people was 29, while the same in just 2009 rose to 39. While out of 74 cases of violence against people from NE, since 2005, FIR was registered in just 29 cases and in the rest 43 cases, no FIR was registered by the police.
After continued willful ignorance Delhi Police has woken to the reality now and has issued a “Zero tolerance” policy in the cases of crimes against people from North East.
Ms. Chandra demanded a white paper on how police has handled the pending cases related to the racial discrimination faced by the people from North East.