Abu Metha calls for national introspection on racial bias

Abu Metha, advisor to chief minister and chairman IDAN, Saturday urged the nation to introspect and bring the issue of racial discrimination against people from the Northeast into the centre of national discourse.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a programme in Chümoukedima, Metha said that respect for the region was not a demand but something earned through decades of contribution to India.
He described racial abuse faced by Northeastern people in mainland India as a longstanding problem that has become more visible in the age of social media.
“We have always faced this problem. It is not new. Today it is more visible because of social media,” he said, adding that leaders of the state, led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, have strongly condemned recent incidents, including the racial and sexual assault on a Naga woman doctor at AIIMS Gorakhpur.
Abu Metha stressed that India must confront the issue head-on through platforms such as Parliament and national newsrooms.
He further highlighted Nagaland’s significant contributions to nation-building, citing examples such as Dr. T. Ao, India’s first Olympic football captain,
Paralympian Hokato Sema, Kargil war hero Neikezhakuo Kengurüse, who laid down his life for the country, former governors Dr. S.C. Jamir and Hokishe Sema, who held high national positions
“We guard the nation’s borders. We contribute in sports, music, judiciary, in every vertical, and yet, our children face discrimination. If India is to rise, we cannot discriminate against each other,” Metha said.
Describing Nagaland as one of the safest states in the country—particularly with regard to crimes against women, Metha said that the state does not discriminate against people from other communities.
Reaching out to non-Naga residents in Nagaland, Metha urged them to help sensitise the rest of the country about the region’s contributions and the need for mutual respect. “We are not demanding respect; we have earned it,” he said.