THE BURDEN OF APPEARANCE: UNMASKING INDIA’s INTERNAL RACISM
SANKHA SUBHRA DEVBARMAN
February 25, 2026
The racial discrimination and ethnic marginalization faced by people from Northeast India within the mainland remains a dark and ruthless reality of modern India. From daily commutes to professional workspaces, there exists a pathological tendency to brand them as 'foreigners' or 'outsiders' at every level. This systemic alienation is not merely a social friction; it is a profound failure of the national imagination. The Invisible Wall of Prejudice Individuals from the eight Northeastern states, including Sikkim, are frequently subjected to derision based solely on their distinct physiological features or facial morphology. In public spheres—ranging from trains and subways to street corners—they are relentlessly targeted with racial slurs like 'Chinki,' 'China,' or 'Momo,' alongside even more abhorrent epithets. These slurs are not merely fleeting insults; they function as psychological lacerations that inflict profound, enduring trauma. Various reports by Amnesty International India have repeatedly corroborated this pervasive pattern of systemic ethnic discrimination. This kind of discrimination ranges from Microaggressions to fatal violence !
The tragic demise of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar in 2014, stands as a harrowing manifestation of this deep-seated prejudice. He was brutally lynched after protesting against derogatory remarks directed at his physical appearance. In the wake of nationwide outrage, the Government of India constituted the M.P. Bezbaruah Committee. While the committee recommended stringent legal safeguards, and specialized police units were established in metropolitan cities, a fundamental transformation in the ground reality remains elusive. Even after that, on 26 December, 2025 - Angel Chakma, a boy from Tripura, was beaten to death. There seems to be no end to these incidents!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, this animosity assumed a horrifying dimension. Instances of individuals from the Northeast being spat upon, forcibly quarantined, or evicted from marketplaces occurred solely due to their physical appearance. Human Rights Watch expressed profound concern regarding the escalating racial discrimination within India during this period, proving that in times of crisis, the "othering" of our own citizens becomes a convenient tool for misplaced fear.
Within the framework of India's mainstream education system, the history of the Northeast remains a neglected chapter—a silent void where there should be stories of grandeur. The sagas of valor and the rich cultural heritage that define this region find almost no sanctuary within the pages of our textbooks. This profound cultural and historical vacuum breeds a dangerous ignorance, which over time, curdles into the toxic fumes of suspicion and hatred.
Until every individual across the mainland—from the power corridors of Delhi to the crowded local trains of Mumbai—embraces the Northeast not merely as a peripheral coordinate on a map, but as an inseparable heartbeat of the nation, this internal struggle will never cease. This social malady cannot be cured by the shield of legislation alone; it demands a radical metamorphosis of the public psyche and the flourishing of a truly inclusive, bias-free education system. It must be etched into the national consciousness that the people of the Northeast are equal stakeholders of this land, not 'tourists' or 'interlopers. To internalize this eternal truth is no longer an option—it is an absolute and urgent imperative of our time.
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