(Image source from: Is Delhi the most racist place in India?})
The national capital, which was once regarded for being the treasure-trove of country's heritage, lauded for it's lip-smacking street food and thronged for its warmth and hospitality, today stands as India's most racist place. Sad, but true!
Not only is it the most violent place in the country, but also the most racist, reveals a government report.
Ten days after a Manipuri man was brutally thrashed to death in the capital city, a government committee has assessed and revealed that Delhi is the most intolerant, bigoted place in India, with the city witnessing the most cases of a racial kind.
More than 300 cases of racism has taken place in Delhi since February 2014. Nearly 60-70 per cent people from the Northeast have confessed to facing racial discrimination in the city in the forms of humiliation and taunts, all non-punishable offences. Slurs like “momos” or “chinky” are not recognized as crime under the Indian Penal Code.
Taking the situation in hand, a government committee headed by retired IAS officer M.P. Bezbaruah has asked the Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijju to address the situation and and make the Section 153(A) of the IPC, punishing all acts of enmity based on place of birth and language, more rigid.
As per the existing laws, racial attacks bear a maximum punishment of three years and a fine. The panel suggested that some offences be made non-bailable and the punishment be made more stringent.
It furthermore suggested that the IPC Act should be amended to make teasing and use of slurs a punishable crime.
"The committee looked at four angles, including why such incidents have increased, the law enforcement side, the justice system and a time-bound system for action, including a special squad for investigating such crimes," a source familiar with the report of the Bezbaruah Committee revealed.
"There is no law to cover crimes like harassment. Therefore, the committee suggested the IPC be changed to address these concerns," the source said.
"In other instances where laws exist, the committee said enforcement should be more effective."
"The change has to happen not only at the top but among officials handling the crimes," the source said.
The committee further demanded providing legal aid to the victims of racial attacks and for creating a database of such victims so that police could effectively monitor such cases.
It's seen that the women were mostly victimized because of the city's wrong perception of them having a "tainted character".
Until stringent measures are taken to stop the hate crime in the city, Delhi is a no safe haven for people from the Northeast, to say the least. It's high time the government took matters in their hands and try restoring peace within the city.
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
