Nagaland assembly condemns racial attacks on northeast residents, calls for constitutional balance

Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 3 unanimously condemned recent incidents of racial discrimination against people from the Northeast in metropolitan cities across the country, terming them “deeply disturbing and unacceptable”.

The issue was raised by NPF legislator Achumbemo Kikon during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address. Kikon drew attention to the alleged humiliation of three women from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi in February. The women were reportedly subjected to racial slurs and intimidation by neighbours following a dispute over repair work at their rented accommodation.

He also referred to an incident last month in which a third-year resident doctor from Nagaland posted at AIIMS Gorakhpur was allegedly subjected to racial abuse, stalking and physical assault by three men near the institute premises.

Responding to the concerns, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said such racial attacks and discriminatory behaviour against people from the Northeast, including Nagaland, violate the spirit of unity and equality guaranteed under the Constitution. Describing the incidents as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable”, he stressed that citizens from the region must be treated with dignity and respect anywhere in the country.

Rio said the state government stands in solidarity with victims of racial discrimination and maintained that such acts must be addressed firmly. He joined other members of the House in condemning the incidents and underlined the need for greater awareness and stronger enforcement to prevent recurrence.

The discussion also touched upon concerns over the singing of Vande Mataram, with the chief minister calling for sensitivity and constitutional balance while addressing differing views on the issue.

Separately, Kikon proposed large-scale cultivation of jatropha in Bhandari constituency under Wokha district as a long-term measure to mitigate human-elephant conflict. He said jatropha plants and seeds are unpalatable to wild elephants, making the crop a potential deterrent while generating economic returns.

Frequent elephant intrusions, he said, have forced several farmers to abandon paddy fields due to repeated crop damage. The NPF MLA suggested that organised jatropha cultivation could serve as an effective model for revenue generation in affected areas.

Kikon, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Environment and Climate Change, stated that the initiative aligns with India’s National Policy on Biofuels and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on affordable and clean energy.