Gaurav Gogoi writes to HM Shah over attacks on Northeast citizens in Delhi

Congress MP and deputy leader of Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday wrote to Union Home minister Amit Shah expressing concern over repeated incidents of racial harassment and attacks targeting women and people from the Northeast in Delhi, and urged immediate steps to strengthen institutional safeguards for their safety.

In his letter, Gogoi referred to the recent incident at Nehru Place where two women from Assam and Bihar were allegedly molested, assaulted and racially abused by a group of men in the early hours of 10 May.

According to the letter, the women were having tea outside a hotel when a group allegedly began catcalling them and making derogatory racial remarks, which later escalated into physical assault.

Gogoi noted that the Delhi Police had confirmed the women were racially targeted and attacked.

The Congress leader also cited other recent incidents involving people from the Northeast in the national capital, including the alleged assault and racial abuse of a lawyer from Manipur and her transwoman friend in South Delhi in March this year, as well as another case in February involving three women from Arunachal Pradesh in Malviya Nagar.

Describing the incidents as part of a wider and disturbing trend, Gogoi said they reflected a “deeply troubling pattern” of prejudice, profiling and violence faced by citizens from the Northeast in Delhi.

He also recalled earlier high-profile cases, including the killing of Nido Tania in 2014 and the death of Tripura student Anjel Chakma following an alleged assault in 2025.

While acknowledging measures introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Delhi Police — including SPUNER, Helpline 1093, the North East Assistance Team (NEAT), and sensitisation initiatives — Gogoi said recurring incidents pointed to serious gaps in implementation and public confidence.

“As the national capital, Delhi must embody the constitutional values of equality, dignity, and security for every Indian citizen, irrespective of region, ethnicity, language, or appearance,” the letter stated.

“Citizens from the North Eastern states contribute immensely to the social, educational, and economic life of the city. They deserve not only protection in law, but also confidence in the institutions meant to safeguard them,” Gogoi wrote.

He urged the Union Home minister to review the effectiveness of existing support systems, strengthen accountability in cases involving racial harassment, expand awareness about helplines and legal protections, and ensure strict and time-bound action against offenders.

With IANS inputs