The Hindu (16/07/2014)Alienated at home The M.P. Bezbaruah Committee that had been set up to look into the problems faced by people from the Northeast submitted its report to the Home Ministry last week. Though the report has not yet been made public, it is learnt that one of the key recommendations is to increase the number of personnel from the region in various departments, especially the police, across the country. Speaking to The Hindu, Delhi Police Nodal Officer for the Northeastern community, Joint Commissioner Robin Hibu said more personnel from the Northeast would have a salutary effect on the force. “Currently there are 41 personnel in the Delhi Police, which has strength of more than 84,000. People from the region will understand the problems of the complainants and eliminate the language barrier. Also, personnel from the Northeast in police uniform would be seen as a confidence building measure,” he said. Delhi Police recruitment is open to all citizens of India, irrespective of their domicile. Applicants, however, need to know Hindi. Last year, the recruitment test for personnel below Assistant Sub- Inspector rank was held in Guwahati, but a police source revealed that publicity for the test was poor. Mr. Hibu was appointed after Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, was assaulted in Lajpat Nagar and later succumbed to his injuries in January this year. He established a nodal cell and the 1093 helpline along with other officers from the region. Also, committees for each State have been set up. They had their task cut out: that of ensuring that the police register complaints filed by people from Northeast and also sensitising the force. “The presence of officers from the Northeast will ensure that there is no communication gap. Also, many officers do not understand the food and cultural habits of the Northeast. Inclusion of officers from the region will increase interaction and awareness. We will be able to address concerns more effectively,” Mr. Hibu said. Activists this paper spoke to said though there has been a visible change in the attitude of the police, the nodal cell needs more teeth to ensure compliance with directives on inclusion and fair treatment. J. Maivio, president of the Naga Students Union Delhi, explained: “The 1093 number should connect directly to the Northeast Cell and not the Police Control Room. The cell should be given the powers of a police station (like SC/ST police stations in Madhya Pradesh) to register cases and investigate. Other recommendations we made to through the Bezbaruah Committee include introduction of courses on Northeast history and culture in all colleges, so people understand us better.” J.T. Tagam, member of the Delhi Police Committee for citizens from Arunachal Pradesh, told this paper: “The language the police use is harsh which makes our people unwilling to go to them for help. Northeastern officers are posted in the armed police and training departments, while they are actually needed in police stations like Vasant Vihar which have high concentrations of people from the region.” Delhi has seen an influx of people from the Northeast since the mid 1980s. This was accompanied by complaints of discrimination against them by locals and officials. In 1989, several women constables from the Northeast and Kerala joined the force as part of an initiative by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. These officers form the core of the force’s outreach today. In 1992, Raingam Tamchon, a Tangkhul Naga, was posted as Assistant Commissioner of Police in North Delhi. He resolved several issues faced by students from the region in Delhi University. “There was a change in the attitude of officers at the Maurice Nagar police station and students, hitherto apprehensive of going to the police, gained confidence. This initiative should have been replicated then itself,” said David Boyes, Convener of the Northeast India Forum Against Racism (NEIFAR). Tamchon passed away in 2006 and a football tournament is held in Delhi in his memory every year. Mr. Hibu’s reputation for being accessible at any time earned him the post of nodal officer. “But Hibu cant be in every police station,” said Sunny Tayeng, general secretary of the Arunachal Students’ Union Delhi. “In the Munirka rape case, the police at Vasant Vihar could not understand what the victim and her father were saying. They can’t understand our Hindi accent, neither can they speak English. The presence of Northeastern officers will end stereotyping of us by cops and will improve access to justice,” she added. thehindu/news/cities/Delhi/alienated-at-home/article6215692.ece
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 19:46:52 +0000
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