The need to address the brutal killing of Anjel Chakma in 2026 is a disturbing sign of persistent racism in India. His death is a stark reminder of the violence and prejudice faced by citizens from the country's northeastern states when they travel or live in other regions. Despite his desperate cries asserting his Indian identity and his father's service in the Border Security Forces (BSF), Chakma became another victim of mob hatred.
The Core of the Discrimination: Questioning Indianness
As highlighted by Naga anthropologist Dolly Kikon, the unique cruelty of the discrimination targeting people from Northeast India lies in the constant questioning of their Indianness. This form of racism, distinct from caste or gender bias, stems from a narrow, monolithic imagination of what an Indian should look like. Those who do not fit this stereotypical appearance are immediately marked as outsiders.
The author, Rituparna Patgiri, a Sociology professor at IIT Guwahati, experienced this prejudice firsthand during a trip to Hampi, Karnataka, with friends from Nagaland. While discussing Chakma's death, a security guard at the Lotus Mahal stopped her friends, doubting they were Indian and insisting on seeing their Aadhaar cards despite verbal confirmation. This selective scrutiny was a clear act of racial profiling.
Everyday Racism and Systemic Failures
This incident was not isolated. During the same trip, school children sought exoticized selfies, and another guard casually questioned their nationality. These episodes reveal how entrenched racist assumptions are in everyday interactions, placing an unfair burden of proof on Northeastern citizens. While extreme violence like Chakma's murder makes headlines, subtle racism through comments on food, physical features, and the use of slurs like "Chinese," "momo," or "corona" is rampant. Women bear an additional burden of being stereotyped as sexually promiscuous, and such discrimination often bars access to housing in major cities.
Pathways to Change: Legal and Social Reforms
Combating this deep-seated issue requires a multi-pronged approach. There is an urgent need for a specific anti-racial discrimination law to complement existing legislation like the SC/ST Act. Police reform is also critical, as law enforcement is often reluctant to file FIRs in race-based crimes, especially against socially powerful individuals.
Long-term social change must begin in classrooms. School textbooks must actively teach children about India's vast diversity, dismantling the myth of a single "Indian" look. Popular culture and media have a pivotal role in normalizing this diversity by ensuring authentic representation—for instance, casting actors from the Northeast in lead roles that depict their stories.
For academics and practitioners, it is not enough to simply study the region; they must raise their voices against injustice. Without concerted legal, educational, and cultural efforts, Anjel Chakma will not be the last victim of such hatred and violence.
