Amidst widespread outrage over the recent death of a youth from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Taniam, the government says that his case will be dealt with by a fast-track court.
The decision comes even as the Lok Sabha on Wednesday condemned the death of Nido, who allegedly died after he was mercilessly beaten up by some shopkeepers in the capital’s Lajpat Nagar area last week.
As for the fast-track court, the Union home ministry has met a key demand of people from the northeastern part of the country who had been asking that cases dealing with serious offences against those from the N-E should be dealt with by such courts.
It’s as a consequence of this decision by the home ministry that Nido’s case will now be handled by a fast-track court. The home ministry has instructed the Union-Territories division of the ministry to tie-up on the case with the Delhi police to ensure the case is fast-tracked. The MHA is likely to write to all the states and the Union Territories asking them to set up or designate fast-track courts to deal with heinous offences against N-E residents. The states and UT’s will have to regularly apprise the MHA in the progress in setting-up of fast-track courts.
In the Lok Sabha, Speaker Meira Kumar joined in the concern expressed by members about Nido’s alleged killing. Standing up to speak, Ms Kumar said: “The entire House condemns the death of young boy. A clear message should go to the entire country that Parliament wants that all the people and children from the Northeast are protected.”
Nido’s death was raised by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who said that people across the country should be sensitised about their counterparts from the northeastern states. “If Ganga, Yamuna are part of India, so is the Brahmaputra,” she remarked.
Ms Swaraj spoke amidst uproar in the LS over Telangana and other issues as also did other members who spoke on Nido’s death.
Noting that after the riots in Kokrajhar in Assam last year, people from the Northeast had to return home from various parts of the country because of harassment, Ms Swaraj said, “Parliament had then issued an appeal to them that India is yours, don’t go. We will provide you protection.”