Imphal, Feb. 4: New Delhi’s “racial discrimination” against women from the Northeast took centrestage in the Manipur Assembly today with the Opposition raking up the issue that has been hanging over the region’s collective consciousness for a while.

Terming the cases of “sexual harassment” of girls from the region in the national capital as a product of this discrimination, Manipur People’s Party leader Okram Joy Singh said if this trend remained unchecked, it could give rise to “serious repercussions”.

“The cases have a pattern and seem to emerge from racial discrimination towards our girls. The police have not only failed to take prompt action; our girls are blamed by authorities in the capital,” said Joy Singh.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh said he has spoken to the Delhi administration and would submit a detailed reply on the cases of molestation in the House tomorrow.

While the politicians debated in the Assembly, the state’s cultural and social icons spoke out against the atrocities.

Ratan Thiyam, Manipur’s theatre doyen, said he felt “very sad” at the frequent molestation of girls from the Northeast in Delhi. “Such incidents should not take place. Authorities in Delhi should protect our girls. The Union home ministry should also react promptly and take steps to prevent occurrence of such incidents,” he said.

But the hint of smouldering embers came from 70-year-old Keisham Taruni Devi, who was among the 12 women who had disrobed at the gate of the then Assam Rifles base at Kangla fort in Imphal after Thangjam Manorama’s death in 2004. “People from the Northeast are treated like second-class citizens by the people of the mainland,” fumed the veteran.

She said whether it was in Delhi or in Manipur, the attitude of the people of the mainland is the same. If security forces raped and molested women in Manipur, the same pattern was recurring in Delhi, she said.

“We went to the extent (of disrobing) as degradation of Manipuri women by security forces was beyond our tolerance. Delhi police should not only protect our girls, but also punish the culprits. If such cases continue, Manipuri women will not remain silent,” Taruni Devi said.

That the septuagenarian’s views were not a mere emotional outburst was corroborated by social anthropologist M.C. Arun’s analysis. Unless the culprits were brought to book, such incidents would alienate the people of the region even more, he said.

The chief minister said since students living in rented houses instead of hostels were more vulnerable to assaults, the students’ unions from the Northeast should help them find safe localities. That way, even the police will find it easy to provide security to these girls, Ibobi Singh added.