Where mobs fan flames of hate

The killing of Angel Chakma – a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura – in Uttarakhand is a hate crime driven by racism and intolerance, and a telling reminder of the fault lines in our society. A group of men hurled racial slurs at Angel and his younger brother and attacked them; the assault left Angel dead and his brother injured. Five persons, including two juveniles, have been arrested and a search is on for another accused person. The recent lynching of two men in Kerala and Odisha, after they were branded Bangladeshis, points to rising hostility towards “outsiders” – this is an expression of intolerance of people different in race or appearance. The Dehradun incident has triggered concerns among people from the North-East living in Uttarakhand and protests in Tripura.

These are not isolated incidents as they are sometimes made out to be. North-East natives have often suffered harassment. Foreigners, especially those from Africa, have also been targeted in the country. Prejudices are expressed in diverse ways, at times violent. A few years ago, rumours were circulated about migrants from the North-East, leading to safety concerns and their exodus from cities including Bengaluru. In a changed economic landscape that sees migrants increasingly cross state borders for jobs, othering is an everyday reality. Racial insults and pejorative terms for the non-natives and people from other communities are finding a shriller, disturbing voice. Social media has amplified these attitudes and is often used to fan the flames of hatred and suspicion.

Ironically, the offenders can end up at the receiving end in settings outside of what they identify as ‘home’. A case in point is the discrimination Indians continue to face in other countries. While those incidents are seen as an affront to the nation, are condemned, and attract sharp responses from the government, questions about similar attitudes among Indians are often lost in public discourse. Geographical lines are blurring in new India, where communication and economic integration are also shaping a new identity. The recent incidents of aggression conflict with this idea of inclusion. Hate crimes should be dealt with legally and the attitudes that give rise to them should be addressed at individual, social, and political levels. Angel Chakma is reported to have told his attackers that he was an Indian and wondered what he should do to prove his Indianness. His death should put the country to shame and push it towards stronger deterrence and change in the way it addresses its varied identity.