The Lok Sabha today rose as one to console the people from the northeast who are fleeing parts of the country driven by rumours of impending attacks on them and demanded strong action against those creating fear psychosis.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj stressed on the need to rise above party lines and send a clear message that people from the northeast have the freedom to live, work and study wherever they wish in the country.
She said the government should create helplines to address grievances of the people from the northeast and step up patrolling across cities, particularly in areas and hostels where they reside in large numbers.
Ninong Ering (Congress) said reports of attacks on people from the northeast send a wrong signal and action must be taken against those spreading rumours.
“We are sad. We think ourselves as Indians.......but after incidents in a small area of Kokrajhar in Assam .... people of Mongoloid features are attacked .... It sends a wrong signal,” Mr Ering said.
He appealed to the Home Minister to treat this matter very seriously and take strict action against those spreading these rumours.
“Strict action must be taken against those involved in spreading rumours as they are trying to create instability...,” he said.
Mr Ering, who represents Arunachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha, said Parliamentarians must take a personal interest in removing the fear psychosis among the people of northeast.
‘Insecurity among people reprehensible’
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today described as “reprehensible” the growing sense of insecurity among people from the northeast living in other parts of the country and promised that his government is committed to take all steps to control the situation.
Dr Singh condemned all such incidents during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the violence in Kokrajhar, as also in Mumbai and other parts of the country against people from the northeast.
“The growing sense of insecurity among the people from the northeast fleeing different parts of the country is something most reprehensible,” he said.
Dr Singh promised that he commits his government to work with all “like-minded” people to bring the situation under control without any loss of time.
He emphasised that people from the northeast had “as much right” as anybody else to study and work in any part of the country.
Dr Singh urged the people to maintain unity and integrity of the country. The people are one and “we will do everything to provide them security,” he said.
“We should send a clear message that we will do everything to provide security to people from northeast living in various parts of the country,” he said.
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