After a brief lull in the instances of what should be termed as racial abuse being carried out with increasing audacity in the national capital, another precious life has been obliterated by a group of cowards without rhyme or reason. The gruesome and brutal murder of Shaloni Akha once again brings to the fore the crucial question of the apparent failure of the central and the state Government in implementing the reported measures and steps taken up to provide security and safety to people from the North eastern region of the country. An apparently concerned State Government once again resolved to push the centre for taking up special measures to ensure the safety of the people from the north east- an indication of the seriousness with which the collective representatives of the people of the state takes the matter and a sign of making efforts to alleviate the uncertainty and apprehensions of the people from the north east who are presently staying at the national capital. The increasing incidences of crimes against the North-Easterners in other parts of the country and especially at Delhi should not, however, be projected or misconstrued as a concerted move or an orchestrated campaign. Forming more laws and regulations especially for the purported protection and safety of the North Easterners would be most unlikely to improve the situation, other than to make things more complicated and might even pave the way to alienate and differentiate the people from the region more from mainstream Indians. While keeping in mind the fact that racial and regional discrimination is a very real and serious issue, drawing up a solution should not entail the threat of further alienation. All men are born equal, and we must repose our faith in ourselves. Every human in a free world have the right to justice, and it is our prerogative to demand it. The issue of discrimination cannot be done away with the mere formation of laws. As it is, there are enough laws to deter any form of discrimination. The bigger problem is an insensitive executive system that fails to enforce these existing laws and regulations, thereby exacerbating the situation. Had the police in Delhi, or any other place for that matter, taken swift action against the perpetrators, such incidents would not have reached the scale and severity as is being witnessed at present. The idea itself for making laws to protect North Easterners or Punjabis or Biharis or Marathis or any other specific group of people sounds implausible and impractical to say the least. A better and more practical way to go about it would be to sensitize the police and armed security forces to handle such situations of discriminations, and for the legal system to expedite the discharge of judgement. Discriminations exist everywhere, and will remain so. This is the harsh reality we need to come to terms with. We would be nothing better than hypocrites if we deny that discrimination does not exist in our own state. It is only because of the social sensitivities and ethics that condemn such practices in our society that is deterring such crimes in the state. The increasing incidences of such crimes and discriminations are another indication of the deteriorating law and order system across the country and should be accepted as such. Understanding the problem will prove more helpful in the efforts to come up with a solution rather than to clamor for more laws and legislations at the drop of a hat- laws which, even if made, will most likely remain unutilized. Meanwhile, time is running out for those in the national capital who are made to feel their backs against the wall and have nowhere else to go but fight back to restrain and contain their frustrations.
