In a strong condemnation of a recent violent crime, Assam's Leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, has slammed the Uttarakhand government over its handling of the murder of a Tripura student in Dehradun. Saikia, a senior Congress leader, accused the state administration of attempting to conceal facts and failing to acknowledge potential racial motives behind the attack.
Condemnation and Accusations of a Cover-Up
Debabrata Saikia expressed outrage over the killing of 24-year-old MBA student Anjel Chakma. Chakma was brutally attacked by a group of assailants armed with knives and blunt objects in Dehradun on December 9. He later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Saikia specifically targeted remarks made by the Uttarakhand police, who stated they had not found evidence of racial abuse in the case.
"I condemn this incident, and I condemn the Uttarakhand government for trying to hide the facts and say that it is non-racial," Saikia stated emphatically. He argued that the tragic event highlights a systemic failure on the part of lawmakers and the administration across India to educate citizens about the country's diverse ethnicities.
A Call for Educational Reform to Combat Prejudice
Moving beyond criticism, Saikia proposed a concrete solution aimed at the root cause of the problem. He announced his decision to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the inclusion of specific content in national school textbooks. His goal is to sensitize young Indians to the nation's rich cultural and racial variety.
"Northeastern people are regarded as foreigners all over India due to a lack of knowledge about the ethnicities of India," Saikia explained. "Police cannot deny this... This is due to the failure of the lawmakers and the administration."
His proposed textbook additions would include:
- A paragraph explaining the distinct characteristics of people from Northeast India.
- Information on the diverse appearances of South Indian communities.
- Clear lessons on India's identity as a multiracial society.
He further suggested that a colored map of India be printed in every textbook for a period, to reinforce geographical and cultural awareness.
Police Investigation and Political Response
Following the murder, the Dehradun police have initiated action. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case thoroughly. Authorities have seized crucial CCTV footage from the crime scene and have announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to the arrest of the main absconding accused, identified as Yagya Raj Awasthi.
SSP Singh confirmed that five individuals have been arrested so far, and police teams are actively searching for the sixth accused, who is currently evading capture.
On the political front, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences to the grieving family of Anjel Chakma on Monday. He assured them that justice would be delivered in the case, which has sparked widespread outrage and brought issues of racial prejudice and safety for Northeastern citizens in other parts of India back into sharp focus.
