Newmai News Network
DIMAPUR, February 7
Besides the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Development of North East Region (DoNER) has also decided to take up measures to check racial discrimination against the North East people in DelhiA meeting in this connection was held between the DoNER officials led by its secretary, U K Sangma, and the Joint Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Robin Hibu, two days ago. The meeting was held consequent upon the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania in Delhi.
During the meeting, it was decided for the setting up of a support centre. It will be set up at NEC Guest House, Chanakyapuri, in Delhi within a month.
Initially, the Conference Hall will be furnished with necessary office equipments to start functioning of the centre. DoNER will bear the cost of setting up office of the centre from CB&TA funds.
Professional counselors will be hired on contractual basis to deal with issues being faced by NE people at the Support Centre. DoNER will contact credible NGOs for the same and will be available round the clock.
Secretary of DoNER will write to Home Secretary requesting him to issue necessary instruction to UP & Haryana State Police to sensitize them about issues being faced by NE people since many NE people are working/ staying in NCR.
DoNER and Delhi police will sensitize NE people about their rights through platforms such as church/ fellowship, students’ union and Resident Commissioner’s office. Two MHA Orders dated May 14, 2012, and June 3, 2013, to be given out for wide publicity. The same has been uploaded on the website of DoNER. It will conduct seminars where Delhi Police will be invited to give lectures on safety issues etc.
List of the selected representatives from each state as provided by Delhi Police with their emails/ mobile numbers will be widely publicized for contact in any emergency. A helpline, designated by Delhi Police will be used in all social network such as facebook, twitter, wattpad etc. (this number will be used for the support centre as well).
DoNER and Delhi Police will jointly conduct special campaign for better assimilation and integration of NE people with the rest of the country and to sensitize mainland people that NE is part of India. Iconic personalities will be used as ambassadors for giving this message through various media forums.
This will be done by DoNER in collaboration with Ministry of Intelligence Bureau. Whenever advertisement is carried out in print media, local papers namely; Dainik Jagran, Punjab Kesari, Rashtriya Sahara, and other vernacular papers will also be included as these are read widely by the semi-literate populace.
North East Cultural Centre at Dwarka will be activated at the earliest. It has decided to organize cultural programmes and interaction sessions frequently to help the NE People to share their experiences and show case their culture.
To sensitise Delhi Police on issues relating to NER, it was decided to hold half day seminars by engaging professionals in collaboration with NER representatives. This exercise will be taken up jointly by Delhi Police and DoNER.
Joint meetings of Delhi police, NGOs, student/ church bodies and DoNER will be held atleast once a month for review/ discuss issues pertaining to NE people. This will be coordinated by DoNER.
It was decided to upgrade the website of DoNER to accommodate the above listed activities/ developments. It was also decided to upload details of various schemes being implemented by DoNER with its latest status etc on the website for easy access.
