State chief minister Neiphiu Rio has termed as “disturbing” the attack on two Naga youths at Chanakyapuri area in Ahmedabad, Gujarat by some 10 men “for selling non-vegetarian and northeastern food” on Sunday night. Taking to twitter, the chief minister said that “The assault on two Nagas for selling non-vegetarian and northeastern food is disturbing.” Calling for respecting each other’s cultural identity and food choices, Rio said “Let us live up to our ideal of unity in diversity.”
Minister tourism & higher education, Temjen Imna Along, also expressed pain over the “recent hate crime against two men from Nagaland”.
Along, who is also the president of BJP Nagaland state unit, said it was disheartening to see “our brothers from the northeastern region” being targeted and discriminated against for their cultural identity and food choices. “Let us spread love and compassion, not hate and hostility,” Along added.
According to Times of India report, Rovimezo Kehie (33), who is from Kohima, in his FIR said that he and his friend, Mapuyanger Jamir, work at a eatery called One Stop Northeast. As per FIR, those men threatened the duo and asked why were they selling northeastern food. Kehie said some of the men hit him and Jamir with baseball bats.