Stop Calling Us Coronavirus & Chinky: NE Students in Punjab Decry 'Racism'

Guwahati, March 16, 2020:

Now, amid the nationwide panic over the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Northeast Indian students from Punjab have come forth to decry alleged racism due to their mongoloid features.

A group of friends from the NE studying in Chunni Kalan have shot a video in which they claim that the locals tease them by calling them "coronavirus".

One of the students informs that many of the locals in the Punjab village tease them "We do not have any relation to coronavirus; it has come from China. Our looks are different, but we Northeast people do not have any relation to China."

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Another student says that they have gone there to study, and thus, they should not be subjected to such utter and complete humiliation. The students have also lamented that the North Indians are highly ignorant about culture in the NE. "You should be happy that India has different kinds of people. However, instead of being proud, you humiliate us", she further adds.

Another girl, from Tripura, says that not a single NE Indian has been detected with the virus. "We wear masks as preventive measures; but they, however, look at us funny and call us coronavirus." Moreover, there seems to be a sentiment in India that the mongoloid tribals, who share physical similarities with the Chinese, are "responsible" for the outbreak.

Meanwhile, a similar sentiment has been echoed by the prominent activist, Alana Golmei. In a lengthy social media rant, she wrote, "To all those racist Indian (young and old) coronavirus was brought India by your own rich Indians who travelled to foreign countries and have nothing to do with any mongoloid features in India. Those tested positive so far are those Indians or their families whom they came in contact with. While you are mocking and targeting NE people of any mongoloid features by calling them coronavirus your own great Indians (those features you accepted as real Indians) are avoiding or running away from getting themselves tested."

However, her post was later removed for allegedly violating Facebook guidelines. An exasperated Golmei wrote, "My Facebook post against racism for calling NE people Coronavirus has been removed for hate speech and for going against community standards by facebook. This is very wrong on the part of facebook. Such flawed guidelines they have."

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Earlier, Golmei had also complained that Northeastern people living in metropolitan cities have been subjected to incessant bullying as after the breakout of the virus. There are numerous instances when they have been referred to as "coronavirus", which is quickly emerging as a pejorative, having replaced the previously popular "chinky".

Also, a Naga woman in Mumbai was reportedly made to leave a building for wearing a mask. According to a Times of India report, the woman had gone to Mumbai on February 10 to visit a friend staying in Chembur when this incident took place. The man assumed that the girl was a Chinese woman infected with the deadly coronavirus. It led to a heated argument and the Naga girl was even asked to leave the building after allegations of “racial discrimination” led to further escalation of the conflict. The girl from Nagaland eventually had to leave the building to stay with another friend.

Meanwhile, the novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the world, with over 6,685 people having succumbed already. 174,605 people across the world have been infected till now.

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