Naga Men Attacked For Selling Non-Vegetarian 'North-Eastern' Food In Ahmedabad, CM Presses For Unity In Diversity

People from the Northeast have been at the receiving end of racist remarks, mostly for their different looks and/or food choices. The most recent incident of racism took place in Ahmedabad when two Naga men were rebuked for their presumed food choices.

On 7 June, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio posted on Twitter condemning the assault on two Nagas in Ahmedabad for selling "non-vegetarian and northeastern" food in the city.

The assault on two Nagas for selling non-vegetarian and northeastern food is disturbing. We should respect each other's cultural identity and food choices. Let us live up to our ideal of unity in diversity. pic.twitter.com/PsN3OO1jl7

¡ª Neiphiu Rio (@Neiphiu_Rio) June 7, 2023

Terming the attack "disturbing", Neiphiu Rio said, "We should respect each other's cultural identity and food choices. Let us live up to our ideal of unity in diversity."

Representational Image

Nagaland minister Temjen Imna Along also supported the same saying, "Let us spread love and compassion, not hate and hostility."

I am deeply pained to hear about the recent hate crime against two men from Nagaland who were attacked for selling non-vegetarian and northeastern food. It is disheartening to see our brothers from the northeastern region being targeted and discriminated against for their¡­ pic.twitter.com/z0DK5zKvXy

¡ª Temjen Imna Along (@AlongImna) June 7, 2023

What the incident was about

The incident occurred on the night of June 4, when a group of unidentified persons allegedly attacked two men from Nagaland for selling non-vegetarian food in Ahmedabad's Chanakyapuri region.

A first information report (FIR) of the alleged incident was lodged at the Sola police station. The two victims were identified as Rovimezo Kehie and Mapuyanger Jamir, who worked at an eatery called ¡°One Stop Northeast¡± in Chanakyapuri.

Speaking to TOI, Kehir, who hails from Kohima in Nagaland, said, "At about 8 pm on Sunday, when I was at my friend's house in Chanakyapuri, my employer Hiren Patel called me and said that some men were fighting with Jamir. I rushed to the shop... They then threatened us, asking us why we were selling northeastern food in Chanakyapuri."

He added, "There were about ten men who attacked us. They kept saying how we could sell non-vegetarian and northeastern food in a place like Gujarat which is dominated by Hindus."

Kehie said they sell exotic vegetables from the Northeast, such as exotic beans, mustard leaves, metsunga leaves, and bitter leaves, along with non-vegetarian food items such as chicken, pork, Korean noodles, wai wai, rasma and a northeastern rice variety.

Discriminated against for food choices

Such discrimination against people from the northeastern part of India isn't uncommon.

Back in 2007, Robin Hibu, an IPS officer from Arunachal Pradesh then posted as Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police had brought out a booklet full of instructions for the migrants of Northeast India living in Delhi. One instruction said, "bamboo shoot, Akhuni and other smelly dishes should be prepared without creating ruckus in neighbourhood".

Wikipedia

In 2014, a committee was constituted to examine the concerns of northeastern people across India. This committee found that many landlords consider people from the Northeast difficult tenants because of their food habits and resent the pungent smell that Northeast cooking has.

Such prejudiced treatment, which continues till today, seems to stem from a lack of knowledge about the region and an ignorance of the food culture in Northeast India.

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