‘Racist’ introduction to N-E dancer at TV show draws Assam CM’s ire

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 16

An undated clip from a popular dance show featuring the anchor using “Chinese” references to introduce a contestant from the North-East on Tuesday triggered a storm across social media with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma registering strong objection and several others following suit.

“It has come to my notice that a popular reality show host has used racist rhetoric against a young participant from Guwahati. This is shameful and totally unacceptable. Racism has no place in our country and we should all condemn it unequivocally,” Sarma said today.

The reference was to Raghav Juyal, anchor of Dance Season 3 at Colors TV, using words like “momo”, “Chinese” and “chowmein” to introduce Gunjan Sinha, a child contestant from Assam.

Former Tripura Congress chief Pradyot Deb Barman too weighed in on the issue wondering at the cheering crowds as the anchor used contentious references for Gunjan. “What angers me is that this comedian is not just comparing North-Eastern people to the Chinese but also the way the audience is laughing and clapping at this terrible joke! And then people question us why we feel that we are not part of the mainstream?” said Pradyot, as the issue reignited the larger debate on the “other-ness” of residents from the North-East.

As the issue blew over, Juyal issued a clarification on Instagram saying it

was unfair to judge him based on a short clip from a broad show.

Juyal said he was introducing the child because the child, in several recordings over the past days, had claimed that her talent was her knowledge of the Chinese language.

“A short clip from my show has gone viral on the basis of which I am being called a racist. I want everyone to hear the whole show and then judge. It is not fair to judge the show on the basis of a small clip. That would not be good for my mental health. Gunjan Sinha over several recordings told us that her talent was to talk in Chinese. I introduced her in the same manner in which she used to speak on our shows. I am deeply connected with the North-East and it was not my intention to cause hurt,” Juyal said.

Agitations over racism against residents of the North-East had reached a crescendo in February 2014 after the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Taniam in Delhi.

Incidents that shook northeast

• Jan 2014: Arunachal MLA’s son Nido Taniam dies after being allegedly ‘beaten up’ by shopkeepers in Delhi
• May 2012: Manipuri student Richard Loitam found dead in hostel room in Bengaluru after being allegedly ‘assaulted’ by seniors
• 2011: Attacks on N-E community in Bengaluru and Hyderabad lead to mass exodus of students
• Dec 2010: Call centre employee from Manipur gangraped
• Oct 2009: A Manipuri girl sexually assaulted