New Delhi: Union minister Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu Wednesday said atrocities on people from the Northeast will not be tolerated and strong action will be taken against those committing any such crime.
Rijiju and Khandu were responding to an incident involving three girls from Arunachal Pradesh who were allegedly subjected to racial slurs by their neighbours in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar area.
The Union minister said he himself, as well as his office, were in touch with the authorities concerned from the day the incident was reported.
“I personally have spoken to the police and am following up on the action. An arrest has been made, and strong legal action will be initiated. We will teach a lesson to ensure that no one ill-treats anyone from the Northeast,” he told reporters here.
Khandu said that, soon after learning about the matter, he spoke to the Delhi Police Commissioner and sought swift and strict action.
“The CP is personally in touch with me. The accused will be dealt with as per law,” the chief minister said, adding, “We stand firmly with our three sisters, and their safety, dignity, and justice remain our highest priority.”
Rijiju said earlier that there were many incidents of torture on people from the Northeast and in a few cases, people even died, but there was no one to even ask a question.
“But now that situation has changed. We are here to protect our brothers and sisters from the Northeast,” he said.
A Delhi court Wednesday sent the accused couple, Ruby Jain and Harsh, who allegedly hurled racial slurs at the Arunachali girls, to 14 days of judicial custody.
The couple were produced before Magistrate Bhanu Pratap Singh, who remanded them in judicial custody till March 11.
They were taken into custody following an investigation into the FIR registered at Malviya Nagar Police Station.
According to police, Ruby Jain allegedly made abusive and derogatory remarks against the three women from Arunachal Pradesh during a row over repair work at their rented accommodation February 20.
Police have invoked the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the FIR against the arrested woman.
They said the case was initially registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, invoking charges of criminal intimidation, insult to the modesty of women, and promoting enmity between groups.
