Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday condemned the killing of a Tripura student in Uttarakhand, calling racism a “disease.” Anjel Chakma, a final-year MBA student, died on December 26 , after an alleged racial attack in Dehradun on December 9 . Rijiju expressed “dismay and anger” over the incident, urging nationwide unity against discrimination.
Rijiju firmly stated that racism “does not have any place in our country.” He labeled such occurrences “very shameful” and harmful to national unity and societal well-being. The minister confirmed the Uttarakhand government is taking “tough actions” against the individuals responsible for the attack. He also sharply criticized opposition parties, accusing them of “playing politics” over a deeply tragic event.
Attack Leads to Student’s Death
Anjel Chakma , a final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, was critically injured on December 9 . He sustained injuries during an alleged attack by several young individuals who used a knife and a bracelet. Chakma remained hospitalized for 17 days, eventually succumbing to his injuries on December 26 . His father, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan currently posted in Manipur, alleged his son was “brutally attacked” while defending his brother. The attackers reportedly hurled racial slurs, calling his sons “Chinese momo” and other derogatory terms. Anjel Chakma reportedly told his assailants he “was also Indian, not Chinese,” before they attacked him with weapons.
Minister Calls for National Unity
“Such incidents are very shameful for the country,” Rijiju told reporters in New Delhi. He emphasized that discriminatory mindsets cause significant harm to society and the nation. The minister reiterated his call for all people to unite and fight against this “disease” of discrimination. He stressed that no individual from any region should endure discrimination based on race, religion, caste, or physical appearance. “Be it the Northeast or in any other part of the country, why should anyone from any other region be subjected to such discrimination on the lines of race, religion, caste and looks, mocked at and attacked?” he questioned.
Opposition Politics Criticized
When questioned about statements from Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, who blamed the ruling BJP for the incident, Rijiju responded directly, “Shame on them.” He reiterated that a tragedy involving a student’s death is not a matter for political gain. “Be it a youngster or anyone else hailing from the Northeast, Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Bengal or from any of the states in the country, we are Indians after all,” he stated. He added, “Everyone should be sad with any such incident happening with anyone from any part of the country. This is not a matter on which politics should be played.”
Proposed Police Units and Past Data
Rijiju proposed establishing special police units in all states. These units would specifically deal with incidents of attacks and harassment targeting people, particularly students, from the Northeast. He also recommended similar protection for individuals visiting Northeastern states from other parts of the country. Rijiju acknowledged, “In the Northeastern states also, such incidents happen,” describing it as a “disease and a mindset that very few people carry.” He advocated for collective effort to eliminate this mindset.
The minister cited past data from Delhi as an example of successful intervention. He claimed Delhi registered between 20 to 40 cases of harassment against people from the Northeast every month before a dedicated police unit was established. After the unit’s creation, Rijiju stated a “drastic decline” occurred in such incidents. He urged people to spread awareness against discrimination based on “religion, caste, race or looks” to prevent future occurrences.
Opposition Leaders React
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent opposition leader, condemned the killing as a “horrific hate crime.” He alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was “normalizing” hate and encouraging a “divisive mindset.” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also weighed in, demanding that the Supreme Court intervene to ensure justice for Anjel Chakma.