Supreme Court: Sensitise kids against racial bias

New Delhi: Voicing concern over the attacks on students from Northeast in the national capital and certain parts of India, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre and states to sensitise children against racial discrimination by including this as a subject in curriculum in schools and colleges.

Giving this direction in a recent judgment, a three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thamkur and Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and L. Nageswara Rao said mere policing against such hate crimes would not suffice. It said there is an urgent need for changing people’s mindset against such racial abuse as both the Centre and States have a “non-negotiable” obligation for ensuring the Constitutional obligation of racial equality.

Disposing of a writ petition filed by an advocate Karma Dorjee in the wake of attacks on people of Northeast, the Bench said, “Involvement of the law enforcement machinery is alone not sufficient to resolve the problem. Mindset have to be changed, including in the universities, colleges and educational institutions, places of work and in society. It said sensitivity and inclusion have to be fostered and in order to achieve this greater awareness of the history and the rich cultural traditions of the north-east is required to be inculcated.

Writing the judgment Justice Chandrachud said, “Sensitivity and inclusion have to be fostered. In order to achieve this, greater awareness of the history and the rich cultural traditions of the north-east is required to be inculcated. The problems faced by persons from the north-east traverse a whole range of issues, from the mundane issues of daily life to matters of education, employment, social security and the fundamental right to live in dignity. The government both at the Centre and the States have a non-negotiable obligation to take positive steps to give effect to India’s commitment to racial equality.”

The court directed setting up of a committee for the purpose of a regular exercise of monitoring and redressal. It said the work of the Committee should be widely publicised in the electronic and print media, including in the north eastern states. The Committee should be accessible to grievances, suggestions and complaints.

The court also reminded that India was a signatory to the “The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)” which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 21 December 1965. It said in order to enhance a sense of security and inclusion, the Union Home Ministry should take proactive steps to monitor the redressal of issues pertaining to racial discrimination faced by citizens of the nation drawn from the north-east.