Help centre for youth from northeast in Delhi

Racial discrimination might be one of the reasons why youths from the northeastern parts of India often get discriminated and abused, but help is round the corner in the form of Northeast Support Centre to be launched here on Saturday.

SMS and telephone help line initiatives by the support centre, will help the victims of sexual and racial harassment in the capital.

All India Christian Council, All India Confederation of SC/ST, All India Catholic Union and the North East Students United Forum are the four organisations spearheading the centre.

Madhu Chandra, a core member of the centre, said that this initiative has been in the pipeline for some time but with the recent sexual harassment case of a girl in Delhi University's (DU) north campus area speeded up the entire process.

"We submitted a memorandum to Y. S. Dadwal, Delhi Police Commissioner, with regards to the just days before the case when a girl student was sexually harassed in DU. After that we realised that we had to do something fast," Chandra told IANS.

"Although the name of the centre is North East Support Centre, we will help anyone in need," he said.

Any victim, can access the authority in the centre, through SMS and phone lines, and get immediate help.

"For instance, in Gurgaon, we will station two members to begin with. Suppose a girl is harassed and she doesn't get help from the police, then we will intervene and do the needful," Chandra said.

Although the permanent helpline number has not yet been registered, four temporary numbers that will be functional are – 9868184939, 9818314146, 9868157066 and 981055490.

"The last time I visited home in the northeast, some people from Nagaland and Mizoram told me that with the rising number of cases of racial and sexual harassment meted out to the young people of the northeast, I should do something for them as well," Chandra said, explaining the reason for the initiative.

Principal of Delhi University's St. Stephens College, Valsom Thampu, member of the National Integration Council, John Dayal and chairman of the All India Confederation of SC/ST, Udit Raj, will be a part of the launch function.