Meghalaya CM Conrad K Sangma condemns racial abuse of 3 Arunachal women in Delhi, says ‘discrimination against Northeast people must stop’

NEW DELHI: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Sunday strongly condemned discrimination against people from the Northeast in a social media post, saying such bias “must stop”. While Sangma did not explicitly refer to any specific incident, his remarks came around the time a purported video surfaced showing an altercation at a rented flat in Malviya Nagar, where three women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly subjected to racial slurs, humiliation and intimidation by their neighbours following a dispute over repair work. According to police, an FIR has been registered at Malviya Nagar police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 79 (word intended to insult a woman’s modesty), Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation), Section 3(5) (common intention) and Section 196 (promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.).

The case has been filed against two individuals identified as Harsh Singh and his wife Ruby Jain.

No arrests have been made so far. Police said the incident occurred on February 20 around 3.30 pm when the women called an electrician to their fourth-floor apartment for installing an air conditioner. During the drilling work, dust and debris reportedly fell to the floor below, prompting objections from neighbours.

What began as a disagreement over falling debris soon escalated, with the women alleging that the couple hurled abuses and made derogatory and racial remarks targeting them and the Northeastern community. A purported video of the confrontation, which has been circulating on social media, allegedly captures the accused using offensive language. In the footage, the woman is allegedly heard referring to the victims as “momo” and making remarks implying that Northeastern women work in massage parlours as sex workers.

A police officer present at the scene is seen intervening and attempting to defuse the situation. The women denied the allegations and are seen confronting the couple in the video. One of them can allegedly be heard demanding that the neighbours verify claims made about her character, stating that the accusations were false and defamatory. The complainants told police that while no physical injuries were reported, they suffered mental harassment and humiliation.

They have demanded a formal apology, arguing that the remarks were not merely personal insults but targeted the dignity of the Northeastern community. Sources said tensions worsened after the incident when a building broker allegedly informed the women that they might have to vacate the flat within two months due to proposed repairs. The women expressed concerns about their safety and housing security. Advocate Reena Rai, representing the three women, said the episode highlights the persistent racial prejudice faced by people from the Northeast in the national capital.

“As neighbours, they should have provided these women, who live far away from home, a sense of security. Instead, they harassed them and made filthy remarks,” she said. “We are as much Indian as anyone else. Why are we treated like outsiders just because we are from the Northeast? We, too, have the right to live with equality and dignity,” Rai added. Counsel for the accused contested the allegations, stating that the matter was being exaggerated on social media and that both sides were involved in the verbal exchange. The defence also claimed that the video being circulated was selective.(With agency inputs)