The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) vide press release on 15.05.2020 informed that they have taken suo motu cognizance of media report wherein a 20-year old girl from Manipur was subjected to racial discrimination and brutally attacked by some locals from Faaizapur, Gurugram in Haryana just for passing through the locality on Sunday afternoon. According to the media reports the victim was stopped by an elderly woman who stopped her from passing on account that the road was a private property. The elderly woman started abusing the victim in her racial tone and further, called her ‘corona’. The other family members came out and started beating the victim with sticks. Eventually, the victim was saved by some local people and police were duly informed. The victim called the North East Support Centre & Helpline (NESCH), when police official asked victim to compromise. The statement of the victim for FIR was registered after the arrival of NESCH members.

The Commission opined that if the words of media reports true, indeed the unfortunate event is gross violation of human rights of the victim. Instead of helping the victim the police asked her to compromise, in view of this the Commission intimated a notice to the Chief Secretary of Haryana and Police Commissioner of Gurugram to submit a detail report of the matter within four weeks along with the status of investigation conducted by the police and the relief/counselling provided by the authorities to the victim. Further, the Commissioner also asked about the present health condition of the victim and the status of the medical treatment provided to her by the district authorities.

Currently the victim is undergoing medical treatment. The Commission further, observed that the said incident to be disgusting as a woman from North-Eastern part of her own country was subjected to racial discrimination and physical assault by local family in NCR and police failed to provide justice and take necessary action.

In this critical time, it is unfortunate that the people are discriminating and calling out names to fellow citizen on the basis of their race and more disappointing is the that authorities instead of providing victim legal assistance asked them to compromise. Discrimination is not only violation of fundamental rights, but it also infringes human rights. No person in any circumstances should be distinguish on basis of their race, caste, birth, sex. It is the duty of the State to protect its citizen from such attack and take necessary actions to provide them justice.

Order: https://nhrc.nic.in/media/press-release/nhrc-notice-chief-secretary-haryana-and-police-commissioner-gurugram-over

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