“Discrimination against northeast must stop”: Meghalaya CM reacts to Delhi racial abuse row

Shillong, Feb 23: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, came out strongly against the latest racial abuse row against northeast people residing in the national capital, stating that discrimination against northeast people must stop.

On February 20, a minor dispute over dust falling from a fourth-floor balcony in Malviya Nagar spiralled into a confrontation between three women from Arunachal Pradesh, including a UPSC aspirant, and their neighbours, identified as Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain. An FIR has since been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, though no arrests have been made so far.

According to the complainants, the altercation began around 3.30 pm on February 20, when an electrician was drilling a small hole to install an air conditioner in their rented flat. Some dust and debris reportedly fell onto the balcony of the flat below, prompting objections from the couple.

The women said they apologised immediately and clarified that the debris had fallen unintentionally. However, the disagreement soon turned acrimonious.

“It was a minor issue. We apologised and explained it wasn’t intentional. But instead of stopping there, they began hurling insults,” one of the women told reporters.

What followed, they allege, was a string of remarks targeting their northeastern identity. The UPSC aspirant claimed the couple called them “illiterate”, accused them of engaging in “dhandhebazi” for Rs 500, and suggested they were running a massage parlour from their residence.

A purported video of the confrontation, now widely circulating on social media, captures heated exchanges. In the clip, Ruby Jain is allegedly heard making derogatory references to sex work and questioning whether the women had “opened a massage parlour at home.” Harsh Singh is also heard alleging that the women run a massage parlour.

The women further alleged that when they objected to the comments, the abuse intensified. One of them claimed that Ruby made a sexually explicit remark involving her husband. Another neighbour from Arunachal Pradesh who intervened alleged that she too was threatened and abused, including being told she would be made to “strip and dance.”

The situation escalated when the couple reportedly called the police. The complainants claim that even in the presence of a police officer, who is seen in the video attempting to calm tempers, racial slurs continued.

They also alleged that the couple falsely accused them of caste-based discrimination, a claim they categorically denied.

Delhi Police confirmed that an FIR has been registered at Malviya Nagar police station under Sections 79 (word intended to insult a woman’s modesty), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 3(5) (common intention), and 196 (promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Section 196 of the BNS is a cognizable and non-bailable offence. As of now, no arrests have been reported.

The women have demanded a formal apology, asserting that the alleged remarks were not merely personal insults but an affront to the entire northeastern community.

The episode adds to a troubling list of alleged racial incidents involving northeastern residents in Delhi — raising fresh questions about urban prejudice, institutional response and the everyday insecurities faced by citizens far from home.