Bangalore: People from the northeast have become a subject of "hate-campaign" and are in a dilemma as whether to stay on or go back to places they hail from, feel a few from the region working here.
Rini Ralte, a professor at United Theological College here, demanded arrest of culprits behind the wild rumours on possible attacks sparking an exodus from here.
"This is beyond rumours. Hate campaign is going on," Rini, a resident of Bangalore for more than two decades, said and claimed there have been 25 "attacks" against the community here in the past two days.
She wondered why the government has failed to nab the culprits and also saw a "lapse" on the part of intelligence department. Rini hails from Mizoram.
Golan Naulak, who teaches political science at a prominent college here, said anti-social and misguided elements were behind the rumour mongering.
Johnson Rajkumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communications at a city college, said a sense of insecurity existed in the minds of northeasteners here all this while, and verbal intimidation had been happening.
People from the northeast are in a confused state of mind and in a dilemma as whether to stay on or go back to places they hailed from, added Rajkumar.
Leaders of a few Muslim organisations said that during Friday prayers in mosques today it was conveyed that there should be no trouble from Muslims as they vouched for peace, harmony and brotherhood.
Meanwhile, several organisations from the northeast, Muslims and other communities stressed the need to maintain harmony.
"We collectively appeal to members of all communities in Bangalore and in the northeast to work together to foster greater understanding and respect and refrain from circulating any rumours which could worsen the situation," they said in a joint statement.
PTI
