Calling NE people 'Chinki' to fetch jail term?

New Delhi: While those who dwell in the cyberspace has been debating the justification of sending someone to five years in jail for calling someone 'chinki,' the directive from the MHA, which this tweet debate stems from, does not spell anything like this.

In an attempt to prevent racial discrimination against people from North-East India, the Union ministry of Home affairs has asked all the states and union territories to book anyone who commits an act of atrocity against people from the region under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

So while calling someone 'Chinki' is definitely unwarranted and outright racist, a court of law will have to decide if a verbal racial abuse constitutes an act of atrocity.

The Home ministry has asked all states to book anyone who commits an act of atrocity against northeastern people.

But this a welcome step. It is the first time that the Central government has taken an active measure to intervene against rising discrimination against people from North-East India.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)