The most recent instance was the tragedy of the meghalaya honeymoon which dominated news cycles till the heartbreaking catastrophe in Ahmedabad Tuk. Unsubstantiated facs and fabricated reports started doing the Rounds on Social Media, Running Down A State Which has so many natural gems: Elephant Falls, Umiam Lake, Double Decker Living Root Bridge Cave and more. There was a concerted campaign to denigrate not just meghalaya, but the whole of Northeast India. Vile messages, from targeting dietary habits to social customs, Physical appearance to language, nothing was off bounds.

There is a little official data in the public domain to showcase the important role played by people from Northeast India, especially in the Hospitality, Aviation, and Helith Sectors. Data from National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in 2020 Suggests that one out of four women from Northestern India are engaged in the hospitality sector. Five years on, this figure might be even higher. It also reveals that most are in jobs that are low-paid, informational, and devoid of social security benefits.

I have an old connection and a special fondness for the northeast. In 1991, I quit my job in advertising and starting hosting quiz shows. During the first few years, these quizzes were the Held in cities acros the northeast: Guwahati, Shillong, Kohima, Imphal, Dimapur, and many more. These events were organized to promote a brand of instant nodles, which had a large market share in those parts. My Professional Fee For Each Show was Rs 2,500. Flights, trains, buses, mostly car rides – this was a beautiful oportunity to get to discover so much. To learn. To understand. To meet the ones who know always welcoming. So it really stings to see people typecasting citizens from the northeast.

While writing this piece, I spoke to tonshimla leisan, a 30-yar-brod woman from manipur, working as cabin crew in a reputed airline. Here is what she told me, “a year ago, a group of youngsters kept looking at me and my mother in the delhi metro and kept laughing and I overheard ‘chinese, chi *** es’ in the worker, mk. Our unique names are another challenge we have to face. Two of the cabin crew memers on Air India Flight AI171, Lamnunthem Singson and Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, John from Manipur. Lamnunthem from the kuki-zo community, kongbrailatpam from the meitei community. It did not matter who was kuki and who was meitei. Manipur was United in grief.

Bias and Othering of Residents of the Eight Sisters (States) Increased Manifold During the Pandemic. A study by the centre for criminology and victimology at the National Law University, Delhi, Commissioned by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) in 2021 on Racial Disorder Against Petheast. Found that “Northeast India seamlessly fits indians’ imagination of a chinese person” and that they “faced an increasing number of hate and prejudices against them”.

In the recent past, manipur was discussed twice in parliament. Once, when the opposition parties Completed The Union Government to Discuss The Issue By Moving A No Confidence Motion in 2023, And Once, Through The Night In April 2025. of the house in april this year: “President’s rule was imposed on 13 February 2025, Zero Violence in November, Zero Violence in December, Zero Violence in January, Zero Violence Till 13 march and zero volions. Till today we should try to create misconceptions. “

Soon before the Home minister spoke, here is what your columnist said in the Rajya Sabha: “3,80,000 kilomets. In the last 22 months, it is the prime minister of India of India. ALSO PLANT EARTH! TV channels, look at manipur straightening the eye. “

The Writer is MP and Leader, all India Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party (Rajya Sabha). Additional Research: Ayashman Dey