Guwahati: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has
expressed concern over the recent attacks on girl students of
the north eastern region in New Delhi and said stern action
would be taken against the culprits to prevent such incidents.
The Prime Minister made the statement in a letter to
the North East Students Organisation (NESO) Chairman, Samujjal
Bhattacharya.
Replying to a complaint lodged to Singh by the NESO,
the Prime Minister said he had directed the authorities to
take stern action against the culprits.
"The North East people in Delhi is a peace loving
community which is making valuable contributions to the
academic and economic life of the city," Singh said in the
letter.
Bhattacharya told reporters he was happy to receive
such quick response to their complaint from the premier.
Bhattacharya, also advisor to the All Assam Students
Union (AASU), said that the complaint had been filed after a
girl from Nagaland was murdered in the national capital on
October 25 last year.
He said there were at least nine incidents of attack
on the students last year, particularly on girls, of the NE
region in New Delhi following which the students organisation
had approached Singh who represents Assam in Rajya Sabha.
"The people of the North East are an integral part of
the social and cultural life of the national capital. I am
personally anguished when violent incidents targeting people
from the North East, particularly women, take place in the
city," Singh said in the letter.
"I have already directed the concerned authorities to
take action against the culprits and to take special measures
for the physical security of the North East students," he
said.
"I am also directing the local authorities to increase
their outreach to community organisations so that the police
and other authorities deal with the problems, particularly of
the students with due sensitivity and concern," Singh said.
PTI
