"If our Northeast is targeted, action will be taken": Kiren Rijiju on racial abuse of Arunachal women in Delhi

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday, February 25, stated that he had been personally monitoring the racial abuse case of three women from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.

Speaking on the incident in Delhi's Malviya Nagar, Rijiju said his office had been in touch with the victims “since day one” and had simultaneously coordinated with the Delhi Police to ensure that the matter was not ignored. “If any incident occurs in Delhi with anyone from the Northeast, we take immediate action. I have been following up personally, and arrests have been made,” he said, underlining that strict legal action would follow.

The Minister drew a sharp contrast between the present response mechanism and what he described as a troubling past, when students and youth from the Northeast allegedly faced violence and harassment in metropolitan cities with little institutional support. “There was a time when our Northeast children were beaten, thrown aside, and no one questioned it. Even the police would harass them. Today, that cannot happen,” he said.

Rijiju credited structural reforms undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the creation of a dedicated mechanism within the Delhi Police to address complaints involving people from the Northeast. According to him, the existence of a specialised response framework has ensured that complaints are registered swiftly and action is taken without delay.

Emphasising that the Centre maintains close coordination with states across the country on issues concerning citizens from the Northeast, Rijiju said his office routinely tracks such incidents beyond Delhi as well. “As a senior minister, my office constantly takes action on any Northeast issue. Others may only raise demands, but we follow up and ensure accountability,” he remarked.

Reiterating that the government would not tolerate discrimination, he said the message was clear: targeting individuals from the Northeast would invite firm legal consequences. “We will teach a lesson that people from the Northeast should not be treated badly. We will do anything to protect the dignity of the Northeast,” he said.

Assuring citizens from the region, Rijiju added that there was “no need to worry” as long as the government remained vigilant. “With the Northeast being a priority for the Prime Minister’s government, it is my duty to take action. If the Northeast is targeted, action will be taken,” he stated.