The video of a home fan heckling and mocking a North East fan in the stands during the recent ISL match between Chennaiyan FC and North United at Chennai has surfaced on different social media platforms. The incident is shameful and racist in nature. It has drawn criticism from all section of society. Fans and owners of both the clubs have come together to criticize the incident. This is truly appreciable and will definitely send out a strong message against the hooliganism. The ISL authorities need to identify the fans who heckled NEUFC fan and take strong action against the hooligans.
The incident once again exposes how people from the North East India are easily targeted in the mainland India. These kinds of attacks which are racist in nature need to stop. When Indians become the victim of racism in countries like Australia, US the whole country erupts in anger and share the agony of the victim. Unfortunately in our country fellow Indians are racially targeted and not many people take such incidents serious. Unless the mainland Indians treat people of North East with respect and dignity, the sense of alienation will only grow bigger in days to come.