Mumbai: Even today many North East Indians face taunts like ‘Chinese chug’, ‘Chini maka’ ‘foreigners’, ‘Chinese’ and are rarely asked of their seven states. Now, a complaint is aired by the ‘local Mumbai North East Indians’. Some of the residents claimed that they still face racist comments and are often discriminated in several companies. “Just like Swachch Bharat, the government needs to launch an awareness campaign against racism. Despite being Indian nationals, we are discriminated upon severely by the people of our own country,” said Lara Peters, an aviation official.
Most of them stated that they did not go back home to vote this year, because whichever government is elected, they turn a blind eye to the major issues faced by them. Most say they are forced to chase their dreams in Mumbai due to lack of employment opportunities and the financial crunch in their state. “The railways and highways have improved as compared to before, but there are no sign of specific policies in place for the upliftment of our region. The education and economy in all the seven states is in doldrums. With minimum scope of economic infrastructure, majority of the youth migrate to major cities for survival,” said a few residents.
“We repeatedly hear of assurances and promises of new policies that will be implemented. But when it comes to action, we are yet to see them,” said Nehal Deb, who has come from Assam and works in an MNC. Some of the senior citizens said, the government of India has failed to restore the natural diversity of the North East India. “The natural resources and minerals are being exploited and we feel it should be protected. The government is more interested in engaging in a war with neighbouring countries, than solving issues of their own people,” said Hemant Gurung, a retired architect.
