The Arunachal Pradesh government has filed a case against a social media influencer from Punjab for his alleged racial remarks against a Congress MLA, and “ill will towards the people of the state”.
Paras Singh, who goes by the name ”Paras Official” on his YouTube channel, had in a video posted on Sunday termed Congress MLA Ninong Ering a “non-Indian” and apparently claimed the “state was a part of China”, sparking furore among Arunchalees as well as people from other parts of the country.
In yet another video, posted earlier in the day, he has apologised for his comments.
“A case has been registered against Paras for racial hatred and the cyber crime branch in Itanagar is investigating the matter,” DGP R P Upadhyaya said.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, taking to Twitter, condemned the racial slur and said the “video aims at inciting ill will and hatred towards the people of Arunachal Pradesh”.
Khandu further added that the social media account of the person is being thoroughly investigated for details about his activities and whereabouts.
Social media should be used with due caution and any infringement will lead to action as per law, the CM added.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein underlined that he was “appalled and greatly dismayed” to see the YouTube post, which not just “casts doubt on the nationality of the Arunachal Pradesh MLA but also questions the existence of the state within India”.
“To doubt our nationality because of how we look is a problem most of us from the North East of India face regularly in the mainland. What we look like, how we dress, what we eat and how we live makes us no less Indian.”
“We are proud to be a state in the Union of India where even in the interior most we greet each other with a ”Jai Hind” and primary school children even in the border villages sing ”Saare Jahaan se Achha, Hindustan Hamara” with pride, he said in his official Twitter handle.
The deputy CM sought an unconditional apology from the YouTuber for his remarks.
“I strongly condemn this racist and arrogant act of Mr. Paras Singh (Bunty). Every Arunachalee and every right thinking Indian must condemn such prejudiced views. He must apologise unconditionally to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. @PemaKhanduBJP @KirenRijiju @ninong_erring,” Mein added.
Singh had apparently made the comments while reacting to a letter written by Ering to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wherein he had sought a ban on the relaunch of PUBG Mobile as Battlegrounds Mobile India.
The Pasighat East MLA, when contacted, said he would soon file a case against Singh.
Meanwhile, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students” Union (AAPSU) issued a statement to say that the people of the state are “greatly hurt” by the remarks.
“Such incidents are not isolated ones and have been happening time and again in various parts of the country.
“It is really distressing that even after over 70 years of the country’s independence, people from the state and the northeast region in general still face humiliation in other parts of the country, whenever they go there for work or study,” the joint statement by AAPSU president Hawa Bagang and
general secretary Tabom Dai said.