On a day when parents of Arunachal Pradesh boy Nido Tania met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand capital punishment for their son’s killers, the Supreme Court issued notice on a PIl to frame guidelines against racial discrimination following disturbing incidents of violence targeting North-East residents in Delhi.
After an initial hesitation to entertain the PIl filed by seven lawyers of the Supreme Court, the bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Friday decided to seek responses from States and Centre on the issue of framing guidelines to curb racial discrimination. The matter is expected to be taken up after four weeks.
Meanwhile, the parents of Arunachal Pradesh youth Nido Tania, who died following an alleged racist attack in Delhi, met the Prime Minister to demand capital punishment for the perpetrators of the crime. Tania had arrived in south Delhi’s lajpat Nagar on January 29 to visit a friend when a shop owner passed remarks on his hair style. This led to a brawl and due to the impact of the blows he succumbed to his injuries the next day.
The victim’s father Nido Pavitra urged PM to declare January 30 as national anti-racism day in the country and urged the Centre to install a statue in memory of their son in the national capital.
The meeting lasted for 30 minutes, which ended with presentation of a memorandum of 10 demands.
The parents were accompanied by Arunachal Pradesh MP Takam Sanjoy. Prime Minister assured to provide safety to people from North East.
Nido’s death catalyzed the North East community to protest the ongoing atrocity and harassment suffered by them. The incident was followed by stabbing of a Manipuri youth and molestation of two North East girls in the Capital.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who argued the PIl, sought urgent curbs against racial discrimination but the Court pointed out that identical matter was pending in Delhi HC. “The way Delhi HC has proceeded is appreciable. They will be restricted if we issue notice,” it said. Rohatgi pointed out that Delhi HC cannot pass orders for the entire country. A connected PIl referred to discrimination against Biharis in Maharashtra.
The court was convinced to issue notice even as it clarified that the decision to entertain the PIl will not inhibit the Delhi HC to proceed on this issue.