The Union Home Ministry has ordered an enquiry to look into the allegations of racial harassment against a Manipuri woman by an immigration officer posted at Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national Capital.
Monika Khangembam, who hails from Manipur, on her Facebook page alleged that on Saturday an immigration official had made racist remarks at her when she was on her way to Seoul for a conference. The moment this issue caught the attention of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, she responded on twitter saying though Immigration is not with her, she will urge her senior colleague Rajnath Singh to sensitise Immigration officials at the airports.
later, Union Minister for State Kiren Rijiju said that an inquiry has been instituted and action will be taken if anyone is found guilty. “We are examining the case. We have asked for a full report. There have been previous cases of harassment. We will take action if there was a harassment,” Rijiju said.
The inquiry will be conducted by the Bureau of Immigration, which is under the Home Ministry.
On her Facebook page, Khangembam wrote that when she went to the immigration desk at IGI at around 9 pm on Saturday, an official looked at her passport and said, “Indian toh nahi lagti ho” (you don’t look Indian). He then allegedly smirked at her and asked her how many States comprised the country, in an apparent bid to “know her Indianness”. She alleged that a lady official at the adjacent counter was giggling while the male officer paid no heed to her.
When Khangembam told him she hailed from Manipur, the officer allegedly asked her to name the States Manipur shares its border with. “I said I was really getting late and he goes like, ‘aircraft aapko chodke kahi nahi jaa rahi. Aaram se jawab do’” (the aircraft isn’t leaving without you. You can answer at ease).