The Centre should debate on the possibility of bringing an anti-racial law in the long run to deal with assault on people from the North East in metros, according to a committee set up to look into their concerns.
The committee headed by retired bureaucrat M P Bezbaruah, which was set up be the Home Ministry after the death of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh in January in the Capital, said in the short term either a new law should be promulgated or IPC should be amended making the offence cognizable and non-bailable.
"We felt that within the broad framework of our Constitution the legal, strategic and philosophical aspects of the demand of an anti-racial law should be debated and in the long run a suitable decision should be taken," the committee said in its report.
It, however, said since the issues related to anti-racial law were very wide and needed "very detailed examination" and the committee did "not have the expertise nor time to go in depth", it did not come out with a firm view.
However, it said: "We are of the firm opinion that government should ensure that any crime of racial nature is viewed very seriously. Recognition of the problems of racial discrimination in all its dimensions should be an essential part of the political discourse in a democratic system like India."
In order to address the immediate concerns over rising instances of attack on people from the region in metros, specially in Delhi, the report said either a new law should be promulgated as directed by the Delhi High Court in February or the IPC should be amended "in that order of preference".
