Tripura Seeks Action Over Racial Slurs by Delhi Content Creator
CM Manik Saha directs police to coordinate with Delhi Police as political leaders condemn alleged racial abuse targeting a young man from the Northeast.
- Tripura directs police to coordinate with Delhi
- Amir Shokeen apologises over alleged racial slurs
- Kiren Rijiju calls for strict police action
- Incident renews debate on Northeast discrimination
GG News Bureau
Agartala, 22nd Oct: The Tripura government has stepped in after a video featuring Delhi-based content creator Amir Shokeen allegedly using racial slurs against a young man from Tripura triggered widespread outrage and renewed concerns over discrimination against people from Northeast Bharat.
The video reportedly showed Shokeen making disparaging remarks, including referring to the young man as “Chinese” and using the slur “chinky”. In a subsequent Facebook post, Shokeen apologised, claiming that the young man was known to him and that the video was scripted.
“I had no intention of saying anything bad about anyone,” he said, apologising to people from Tripura and reiterating his respect for everyone.
Tripura Government Seeks Police Coordination
Chief Minister Manik Saha has directed the state’s Director General of Police to coordinate with Delhi Police over the incident. According to an official statement, he assured that the law would take its course.
Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, founder of Tipra Motha, also called for strict action. On October 21, he said racial remarks against people from Tripura should not be dismissed as jokes or attempts to gain attention on social media.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh’s regional perspective, also condemned the alleged conduct and expressed confidence that the police would act despite a delay in filing an official complaint.
“This evil man will be punished,” Rijiju said in a post on X, urging Delhi Police and Tripura Police to take action and warning against behaviour that spreads hatred.
Renewed Debate Over Racial Discrimination
The controversy has brought renewed attention to complaints of racial stereotyping, verbal harassment and discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in other parts of the country.
The incident has also revived memories of the case involving YouTuber Paras Singh, who was arrested in Ludhiana after making racist comments about Arunachal Pradesh MLA Ninong Ering. He was subsequently taken to Itanagar, where he spent around two weeks before being released. Singh later apologised for hurting the sentiments of people from Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast.
The latest controversy has prompted calls for greater accountability from content creators and social media platforms. Critics argue that online popularity or claims of humour cannot justify remarks that demean people on the basis of their appearance, ethnicity or regional identity.
Those seeking action have called for a fair and timely investigation, appropriate legal measures and responsible handling of content that promotes racial discrimination.
