New Delhi, March 24 The government said on Tuesday that no centralized data is maintained on incidents of "hate speech, racial slurs, harassment, and discrimination" against people from the Northeast, while emphasizing that policing and public order fall under the purview of state governments.
In response to a question by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that states are responsible for the prevention, detection, registration, and investigation of crimes, as well as the prosecution of offenders.
" 'Police' and 'Public Order' are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The state governments are responsible for the prevention, detection, registration, and investigation of crimes, and for prosecuting criminals through their law enforcement agencies," Rai said.
He added that the National Crime Records Bureau compiles and publishes crime data received from states and union territories in its "Crime in India" reports, which are available up to 2023.
However, "data on incidents of hate speech, racial slurs, harassment, and discrimination against persons from the North-Eastern States is not maintained centrally," the minister said.
He added that existing legal provisions enable action against hate comments, gestures, and racial acts, including those targeting people from the Northeast.
Rai also outlined the steps taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to address concerns related to safety and discrimination. These include advisories to states and UTs, the appointment of nodal officers to handle grievances, and the sensitization of law enforcement agencies.
He said that initiatives such as the Special Police Unit for North East Region (SPUNER) in the Delhi Police, along with dedicated helplines and email IDs, have been introduced to facilitate complaint registration and provide support to victims.
Rai also said that a three-member monitoring committee, set up following a Supreme Court judgment, regularly reviews issues of racial discrimination and grievance redressal concerning people from the Northeast living in different parts of the country.