Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 4
To voice out against the discrimination faced by the people of North East, several students unions and organisations across the region came together on Friday to create a “Twitter Storm”, demanding among others, a mandatory chapter on the Northeast in NCERT textbooks.
With the hashtag #NortheastMatters #AchapterforNE, the ‘storm’ on the microblogging site Twitter from 6-8PM on June 4 was a united stand against racism and created awareness about the region as a measure to eradicate the same.
“Racism at its peak is ignorance at its root,” stated a banner poster created as a part of the campaign. “Our history, ethnicity, lifestyle, personalities, natural resources and patriotism have to find a place in the NCERT textbooks,” it said.
“Our appeal to the Central Authority for inclusion of a mandatory chapter in relation to Northeast India in the NCERT textbooks is only possible with your tweets and retweets. Put your efforts. Make the hashtag trend!” the joint statement issued by several NE students’ unions further stated.
As the storm began, bloggers from the region took to Twitter with the hashtag ‘A Chapter for NE in NCERT’ and ‘Northeast Matters’. At around 7:30 pm, both the hashtag #NortheastMatters and ‘#AChapterforNE were trending at No. 2 and 3 in India.
“Racial suppression and oppression is a thing of the past. Yet, the citizens are still facing it in modern India. This has to stop and the inclusion of a mandatory chapter is one step towards it,” read a tweet from Nagaland.
“I know more about India than you. But I am less Indian than you! This disparity can only be bridged by introducing a #AchapterforNE in NCERT textbook,” another added.
Others highlighted the contribution of people from the region in the freedom struggle as well as sports, while other shared, among others, the culture and the landscape of the region.
Earlier on June 3, the Nagaland University Students' Union (NUSU) of all four campuses-- Lumami, Kohima, SASRD and SETSU in a joint statement said that they will be joining the campaign and stand “against the discrimination faced by Northeast Indians in our own motherland.”
“We have collectively joined hands with various Student leaders from different Universities all over Northeast India with the common goal to eradicate the plague of racism that continues to spread vehemently,” it added.
Stating that education is the most pre-eminent approach to uproot racism, the NUSU statement said that “educating the masses and especially the ignorant about the significance of Northeast India” is crucial.
“The inclusion of a mandatory chapter concerning the rich history of Northeast India in the NCERT textbooks will go a long way to uproot the evil of racism from its very root,” it added.
Among others, the ‘storm’ was aimed at highlighting the issue to those at the helm of affairs including the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Education Minister, Minister from NE and chief ministers of the eight states.
Recurring incidence
The issue of discrimination against NE, particularly students and working professionals staying outside the region in various locations across India, is a recurring theme.
The matter was heightened after killing of a student from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Tania, allegedly in a racial attack in 2014 in New Delhi.
In recent past, the issue got traction after a young YouTuber called former Lok Sabha MP and sitting Congress legislator Ninong Ering from Arunachal Pradesh “non-Indian” and said the state was “part of China”.
On June 3, a news anchor of India Today, Rahul Kanwal caused an uproar and subsequently apologised for stating in a panel discussion that, “You're in Nagaland, electricity goes off even in India.” He attributed the faux pas to “slip of tongue.”
Meanwhile after the Delhi incident, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), came out with a “comprehensive book” on North East titled, 'North East India — People, History and Culture’ in 2017.
The book objective of the book is to “create and enhance awareness about north-eastern states of India among young children, particularly those living in other parts of the country,” the NCERT director noted in the foreword.
However, many from the region argued that the book is a supplementary text book for students from Class 9 to 12 and consequently, alleged that the book has not made much impact. An inclusion of mandatory chapter is seen as a medium to bridge the gap.
