Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on 22 October 2026 strongly condemned the alleged racial and derogatory remarks made by Delhi-based content creator Amir Shokeen against a tribal youth from Tripura, warning that both Delhi Police and Tripura Police would hold Shokeen accountable for his actions.

What Rijiju Said

Rijiju, who joined a growing chorus of leaders condemning the incident, posted on X: 'This evil man will be punished. There was delay in lodging the official complaint but Delhi Police and Tripura Police will teach him a hard lesson. People who tolerate such wicked behavior in the society are also responsible for the spread of hatred.'

The Central Minister's remarks underscored the seriousness with which the Union government is treating the episode, which has sparked widespread outrage across the Northeastern region.

The Alleged Incident and What the Video Shows

According to a complaint filed by the TIPRA Indigenous Students' Federation (TISF), the video — allegedly uploaded on 19 September — shows Shokeen making racial remarks and offensive gestures towards an indigenous youth from Tripura during an interaction in Delhi. The complaint alleged that the youth was repeatedly called 'Chinese' and that the name of Tripura was distorted into an obscene expression.

The video's circulation on social media triggered an immediate political storm in Tripura and drew national attention to the longstanding issue of alleged racial discrimination against people from the Northeast.

Police Action and Government Response

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha directed state Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Rao to coordinate with the Delhi Police over the matter. A senior official in Agartala confirmed that the Tripura Police have identified the victim and are in contact with him. 'An FIR has already been registered, and teams will shortly leave under a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) level officer,' the official said.

Multiple complaints have been lodged in Agartala by youth and student organisations, including the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the Tribal Youth Federation (TYF), the Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), and the TISF — all demanding legal action against Shokeen.

Shokeen's Apology and Claim

In the latest development, Shokeen reportedly apologised after the video resurfaced widely on social media. In a Facebook post, he claimed the video was scripted and that the man featured was known to him — someone who had previously worked at a friend's cafe in Ahmedabad. Shokeen described the exchange as a humorous video in which both parties were joking, and maintained he had no intention of insulting anyone.

Critics and political leaders have, however, dismissed the apology as insufficient, continuing to demand his arrest and production before authorities in Tripura.

Cross-Party Outrage in Tripura

The condemnation has cut across party lines in Tripura. Leader of Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, Tipra Motha Party (TMP) founder and ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, and senior Congress MLA and former minister Birajit Sinha have all condemned the incident and demanded swift action.

Debbarma, in a Facebook post on Thursday, demanded that Shokeen be brought to Tripura: 'We will show him our history and an example needs to be made of him so this disgusting act is not repeated by anyone.' He also said he had personally spoken to the victim, who is reportedly from the Ananda Bazaar area in Kanchanpur in northern Tripura, and offered all possible assistance.

As the police machinery gears up and political pressure mounts, the episode has reignited the broader conversation around anti-Northeast discrimination — and whether existing legal frameworks are enforced swiftly enough to deter such conduct.