Sikkim CM calls Delhi racial incident ‘unfortunate’, urges respect for northeast

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has expressed concern over the recent incident of alleged racial discrimination against women from Arunachal Pradesh in New Delhi, calling the episode “concerning and unfortunate.”

In a statement reacting to the incident, the Chief Minister said such events remind society of the need to uphold dignity and mutual respect at all times. He said the Northeast is an integral part of the country and every citizen deserves equality and respect, regardless of where they come from.

“The recent incident involving racial discrimination against women from Arunachal Pradesh in New Delhi is concerning and unfortunate. Such instances remind us of the importance of upholding dignity and mutual respect at all times,” he said.

He added that people must remain mindful of one another and continue working towards a society based on understanding, dignity and mutual respect.

The Chief Minister’s reaction came after three young women from Arunachal Pradesh alleged that they were racially abused and intimidated by their neighbours in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area.

According to reports, the incident took place on February 20 when the women had called an electrician to install an
air conditioner in their rented flat on the fourth floor of an apartment building. During the installation, dust and drilling debris reportedly fell onto the floor below. This led to an argument with neighbours identified as Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain.

What began as a disagreement over dust soon turned into a heated confrontation. The women alleged that they were subjected to racial remarks and offensive comments about their identity. One of the women, who is preparing for the UPSC civil services examination and has been living in the National Capital Region for over two years, said the issue escalated because of the language used against them.

She alleged that they were targeted because of their appearance and the way they speak Hindi. The students said they often face assumptions that they are not Indian and are sometimes mistaken for foreigners.

A video of the incident, which surfaced online, shows a verbal argument in the apartment lobby. In the video, the accused woman is allegedly heard making derogatory remarks, including suggesting that the women were running a massage parlour from their home. The video also shows a police officer present at the scene attempting to calm the situation.