Editor,
While the incident of racial abuse narrated by the woman from Meghalaya is an experience that she has not liked at all and has left her heartbroken, it is also important to acknowledge that discrimination and prejudice are not one-sided phenomena. The heartbreaking experiences this woman from Meghalaya shared—being targeted with racial slurs in New Delhi, not once but twice in a single day—serve as a stark reminder of how far we have to go in combating prejudice. Her words about feeling like she does not belong in India cut deep, akin to the non-tribals who live in Shillong and elsewhere in Meghalaya and are also made to feel that they do not belong to that region due to the prejudiced and inhuman attitude of the local tribesmen. No one should ever have to endure such dehumanizing treatment based on their appearance or origin.
That said, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, as Newton’s third law reminds us—not just in physics, but in the messy dynamics of human bias. While her pain is valid and demands accountability from those in Delhi, it is worth noting that racial comments and discrimination are hurled daily at non-tribals and mainlanders in Shillong and across Meghalaya by members of the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia communities. Reports of verbal abuse, exclusion, and even physical attacks during rallies highlight how mainland Indians and resident non-tribals are often labeled “dkhars” or outsiders, treated as second-class citizens, and face “reverse racism” in everyday interactions. Forums and personal accounts from North Indians in the Northeast echo similar sentiments of alienation, with slurs and mockery making them feel unwelcome in regions they have moved to for work or education.
Perhaps this woman, having now tasted the sting of such bigotry firsthand, can empathize with the mainlanders/resident non-tribals who have endured the flip side for years—wondering what it feels like to be laughed at, sidelined, or verbally assaulted simply for “looking different” in a place that is supposed to be home to all Indians. It is a vicious cycle, but breaking it starts with mutual recognition: racism wounds everyone it touches, regardless of who is wielding it. Let us push for zero tolerance on all fronts, from Delhi’s streets to Shillong’s markets, so no one has to question their belonging again.
Ranjit Bose
Bivar Road, Shillong
