The Centre has stated that there is no centralised data on incidents of “hate speech, racial slurs, harassment and discrimination” against people from the Northeast. The National Crime Records Bureau compiles and publishes crime data received from states and Union Territories in its Crime in India reports, which are currently available up to 2023. However, incidents specifically involving hate speech, racial slurs, harassment and discrimination against persons from the Northeastern states are not maintained as a separate, centralised category.
The government has also clarified that states are responsible for the prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crimes, as these fall within their jurisdiction. It added that existing legal provisions already enable action against hate comments, gestures and racial acts, including those targeting people from the Northeast.
While some progress has undoubtedly been made, much more remains to be done. People from the region continue to face racism and discrimination in mainland India. The absence of a dedicated database reflects a gap in both acknowledgment and response. Without systematically documenting the nature and extent of such discrimination, it becomes difficult to design effective interventions.
Creating a centralised database should be the starting point. If the Centre is not serious about understanding the forms and frequency of discrimination faced by people from the Northeast, it will remain ill-equipped to address and curb the problem.