Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Wednesday, 21 October directed state Director General of Police G.S. Rao to coordinate with the Delhi Police over alleged derogatory remarks made by a Delhi-based content creator against a young tribal man from the state. The intervention follows a controversy sparked by a video that circulated widely on social media, drawing fierce condemnation from political parties across Tripura's spectrum.

What the CMO Said

A senior official at the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) confirmed that Chief Minister Saha had personally issued the directive to DGP Rao to liaise with Delhi Police regarding the alleged racial harassment. 'Law will take its course of action,' the CMO stated on its official X handle. The statement signals the state government's intent to pursue the matter through formal legal channels.

The Alleged Incident

The controversy centres on a video allegedly uploaded on 19 September, featuring content creator Amir Shokeen, in which he allegedly made racial remarks and offensive gestures towards a young indigenous man from Tripura during an interaction in Delhi. According to a complaint filed by the TIPRA Indigenous Students' Federation (TISF), the tribal youth was repeatedly called 'Chinese' and the name of Tripura was distorted into an obscene expression. The Youth Tipra Federation (YTF) and the TISF lodged formal complaints at the NCC Police Station in Agartala, urging authorities to initiate legal action.

Shokeen's Apology and Defence

In the latest development, Shokeen issued an apology after the video triggered widespread backlash. In a Facebook post, he claimed the video was scripted and that the young man featured was personally known to him, having previously worked at a friend's café in Ahmedabad. Shokeen described the exchange as a humorous video in which, he claimed, both parties were joking. He maintained he had no intention of insulting anyone. The apology has not, however, quelled demands for legal action from political parties and civil society organisations.

Political Backlash Across Party Lines

The incident has drawn rare cross-party condemnation. Jitendra Chaudhury, Leader of the Opposition and Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary, strongly condemned the alleged remarks. Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, founder of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also demanded action. Senior Congress MLA and former minister Birajit Sinha echoed these calls. The broad political consensus underlines how deeply the issue resonates across Tripura's diverse political landscape.

Broader Context: Racism Against Northeast India

This case has reignited long-standing concerns about alleged racial discrimination faced by people from Northeast India in other parts of the country. Rights groups and political leaders have repeatedly flagged such incidents over the years, arguing that existing legal protections under the Prevention of Atrocities Act and related statutes are inconsistently applied. Notably, this is not the first time a viral video allegedly mocking someone from the Northeast has triggered a political response — previous incidents have drawn national attention but rarely resulted in sustained enforcement action. The outcome of the inter-state police coordination ordered by Chief Minister Saha will be closely watched.