How will you feel if you are treated like an outsider by your own people, in your own country? What if people make fun of you because of the way you look and talk, what you wear and the food you like to eat? Repeatedly! 

Every year, several people leave Manipur in search of better educational and job opportunities. As a young Manipuri myself, I moved to Mumbai for my higher studies a few years ago. 

But like hundreds from my home state who have settled across the country, we had to face discrimination because of our identity. Sometimes it was in the form of jokes, casual remarks and sarcasm and sometimes, incidents of violence and harassment came to our notice. Although traumatic, such incidents go unreported because there is no proper support system for us to reach out to. It seems the perpetrators have normalised discrimination and most of us have internalised the trauma. 

As my state moves towards elections, I have started this petition requesting the Chief Minister to start a helpline in Manipur that will support residents who are victims of discrimination. 

Such incidents are rampant. In April 2020, two students from Manipur were denied entry to a supermarket in Hyderabad over “coronavirus concerns”, assuming they were ‘foreign nationals’. A video of the incident went viral on social media and MP Kiren Rijiju, assured help. Later, the students filed a complaint and three people were arrested.

The same month, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh raised the issue of discrimination during a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

But despite several committees being formed and ministers speaking about the issue, such discrimination continues. For those who stay outside the state, a helpline to address these concerns immediately, and take them directly to Manipur officials would be of great help. Sign my petition. 

While some of the bigger cities in India have helplines for northeastern states, there are hardly any facilities for smaller states. A helpline setup during the first wave of coronavirus faces technical challenges till date, and does not work. 

A helpline in Manipur will not only ensure that our complaints reach the authorities but also that we get the much-needed support. It can also help victims with professional guidance if they need mental health support and work towards building a more inclusive network.  

Please sign and share my petition so that our collective voices are heard and a helpline is set up soon after the elections. 

image credit: Firstpost