Call a Northeastern “Chinki”, be jailed for five years

Next time you call a person from Northeast a ‘chinky’ and you could end up behind the bars for five years.

How many times have you heard someone call a person from the North East 'chinki'? How many times have you called someone from the North East 'chinki'? Now is the time to watch your tongue before you stereotype someone, because calling someone 'chinki' can land you in jail for up to five years. The term, even though derogatory, has become synonymous with people from North East because of their mongoloid features.

But in an attempt to prevent racial discrimination against people from the North East, the Ministry of Home Affairs has asked all the states and union territories to book anyone who commits an act of atrocity against people from the region under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act.
Cyberspace has already started debating the pros and cons of this law, and while some people think a rule like this was long due, some feel that five years in jail is a little extreme. I asked people from the North East residing in Delhi if they think that people should be jailed from calling them 'chinki'.

“I welcomed the decision ofthe Ministry of Home Affairs to book the racial discrimination against people from North East India under Scheduled Caste and Tribes Prevention of Atrocity Act. It is a milestone move, a new beginning and I hope, in near future, such act will come up to protect minorities for a better and communal harmony society” said 21 years old Bhavan Meitei, a young budding journalist.

But, some of them deviated a bit.

Imprisoning people for five years is a bit too extreme. A few weeks should make the difference.- A 28 year old Radio Jockey said.