NESO Advocates for Student Safety Database in Northeast India
Call for a Comprehensive Student Database
Guwahati, Jan 13: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has urged regional state governments to establish a comprehensive database for students pursuing education in other states across India.
According to NESO's chief adviser, Samujjal Bhattacharya, thousands of students from the Northeast migrate to various states for their studies each year, yet there is no existing database to track their whereabouts.
He emphasized the necessity of maintaining such a database and suggested that regional governments collaborate with those of the states where these students reside to ensure their safety and security during emergencies.
Bhattacharya highlighted the ongoing issue of racial discrimination and violence faced by Northeast students, attributing it to a general lack of awareness about the region among the broader Indian population. He noted that many in mainland India are unaware that there is more to India than just Kolkata.
To combat this ignorance, he proposed that both the Central and state governments incorporate geography, especially maps of India, into school curricula.
“While students from the Northeast are familiar with other states, those from mainland India often lack knowledge about the Northeast, which is regrettable,” he remarked.
Additionally, Bhattacharya acknowledged the establishment of a North East cell by the Delhi Police as a positive step, allowing distressed students to seek assistance. He called for similar initiatives in other states and urged for stringent actions against individuals involved in racial violence.
However, he lamented that often no action is taken against perpetrators of such attacks. He cited the case of Anjel Chakma, who was murdered in Dehradun, noting that it took police 12 days to file a report, which he deemed unacceptable. He urged the Central Government to address these issues decisively to ensure justice for victims.
Furthermore, he stated that civil society in states where Northeast students frequently study should take on a protective role for these students.