Rio, others flay racial attack on NE women

State chief minister Neiphiu Rio has strongly condemned the racial and physical attacks on women from the Northeast, including the incident of a woman from Nagaland.
In a social media post, the chief minister said such acts were reprehensible and had no place in society. “India’s unity in diversity must be upheld through tolerance, compassion, & respect for dignity,” Rio added.
Health & Family Welfare minister P Paiwang Konyak also strongly condemned the racial and physical assault on a young doctor from Nagaland at AIIMS Gorakhpur, UP. In a social media post, Paiwang said racism and violence against women were “utterly unacceptable and have no place in our society.” The minister affirmed in solidarity with the victim and demanded swift and decisive justice.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, expressed deep concern over a recent incident of alleged racial harassment involving three young women from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi, terming it “profoundly shameful” and “unacceptable”.
NPYF: National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) Nagaland state unit—the youth wing of the National People’s Party (NPP)—has strongly condemned recent incidents of sexual assault and racial harassment targeting women from the Northeastern region in different parts of the country.
In a press release, NPYF cited an incident on February 22, 2026, in which a third-year resident doctor at AIIMS, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly stalked by three miscreants who hurled obscene comments and racial slurs linked to her Northeastern identity. One of the accused reportedly attempted to intimidate her and made inappropriate physical contact before fleeing when she raised an alarm.
In a separate incident at Malviya Nagar, New Delhi, three young women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly subjected to derogatory racial remarks and harassment.
Describing the incidents as part of a disturbing pattern of prejudice against Northeastern citizens, particularly women living outside the region, National People’s Youth Front said such acts violated fundamental rights to safety, dignity and equality.
While acknowledging prompt registration of an FIR in the Gorakhpur case, the youth wing urged authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to ensure swift arrests, impartial and time-bound investigations, and exemplary punishment.
NPYF also demanded stronger security around institutions, strict enforcement of anti-harassment and anti-discrimination laws, mandatory sensitisation programmes, and dedicated grievance redressal mechanisms for Northeastern citizens in metropolitan cities. It appealed to the Centre and concerned states to take concrete preventive steps, asserting that the safety of women and dignity of Northeastern citizens were non-negotiable.