States told to check racial discrimination against northeasterners

The government has issued advisories to all states and union territories to check racial discrimination against people from northeastern states, parliament was told on Tuesday.

"Based on the recommendations of the Bezbaruah Committee, there is a proposal to amend the provisions of Indian Penal Code relating to promoting or attempting to promote acts prejudicial to human dignity and words, gestures or acts intended to insult a member of a particular racial group," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said in a written reply to a question by Sikkim MP P.D. Rai.

"Advisories have been issued to all states and union terrotories requesting them to have a stringent mechanism to deal with the incidents of attacks on citizens from northeastern states," he said.

Rijiju said that the states and union territories were taking the necessary security measures to strictly follow the directions.