Gaurav Gogoi questions the ‘unusual and unacceptable delay’ in the registration of the FIR, alleging that it was lodged 12 days after the incident, giving the main accused sufficient time to flee
NEW DELHI — The Congress on Monday demanded justice for Tripura youth Angel Chakma, who died after being brutally attacked in a racially motivated assault in Dehradun, and sought the immediate arrest of the prime accused, who remains absconding.
Addressing a press conference, Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha and Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi expressed grave concern over what he described as growing racial profiling and attacks on people from the North East. Recalling Chakma’s reported words during the assault, Gogoi said, “I am an Indian, I am not Chinese,” and asserted, “People of the North East are Indians, not Chinese.”
Gogoi questioned the “unusual and unacceptable delay” in the registration of the FIR, alleging that it was lodged 12 days after the incident, giving the main accused sufficient time to flee. He demanded that the delay be probed and accountability be established. “This case must be investigated in a time-bound manner, and the guilty must be given the harshest punishment to send a clear message that there is zero tolerance for such crimes,” he said.
Responding to a question on the prime minister’s role, Gogoi accused the Union government of failing to confront prejudice against the North East. “The prime minister and the entire machinery supporting him are focused on changing India’s mindset from one that celebrates diversity to one that emphasises a single identity,” he said.
Questioning the government’s Act East narrative, Gogoi asked why the Uttarakhand government had not ordered an inquiry into the delay in registering the FIR in Chakma’s case. He argued that the prime minister and the Union home minister, by virtue of being in power, wield disproportionate influence over society and must take responsibility for addressing such mindsets.
On whether the issue would resonate in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, Gogoi said the Congress did not want to politicise the tragedy. However, he linked it to a broader pattern of neglect of the North East, citing the situation in Manipur. “Manipur is the single biggest deliberate act of ignorance by the prime minister with respect to the North East. No matter how many visits or words, when the region is burning or grieving, the prime minister is conspicuously absent,” he alleged.
Gogoi also called for greater awareness about the history, culture, languages and literature of the North East. Referring to Chakma’s hometown, he said Unakoti in Tripura is home to some of the most ancient Shiva temples, underscoring the region’s rich civilisational heritage.
Noting that thousands of students from the North East travel across India for higher education, Gogoi said Angel Chakma had gone to Dehradun with the same hope. “He did receive education, but he also paid with his life,” he said, expressing condolences to the bereaved family and reiterating the demand for swift justice.
