"Walk into a spa which has music, scented aroma candles, but here you'll meet a professional doctor rather than a Linda from the North-East. And order for yourself a quick botox, lunchtime peel, nip-and-tuck liposuction or a nose surgery. " writes Nona Walia her article "Spa with a difference" in page 3, of Times Life, Times of India's Sunday supplement on 2nd March, 2008. I didn't read it in the newspapers though I have been a regular reader of the Times of India for the least eight years. I got to know it from sms newsgroup "Zogam Thuthang" delivered right to my inbox only in the afternoon. I never expect a newspaper of such repute as the Times of India will ever publish such a derogatory remark against a community. I am hurt. I know this is not the first time that the Northeasterners are depicted in such a bad light by the media, and it wouldn't be the last. The media, the very people who are supposed to dispel the myths of the ignorant masses, have failed their noble profession, once again. Sometime ago, when a certain Mr Kumar Vikram wrote a very, I repeat, very disgusting article about Northeastern girls, I felt anger raging inside me. I immediately shoot of an email to the writer the moment I read that article. This time I am not sending any email to the writer. Others like Hoihnu Hauzel, a reputed journalist from our community had already done that. But it hurts that I have been a regular reader of the paper for eight long years, from the first time I set foot in Delhi. What are the editors doing anyway? I am sure the article must have passed through at least a couple of editors before it came out in black and white. Maybe they didn't notice the racist slur in the article, or maybe they are just a bunch of racists, like the writer of the article.
I will reproduce here, once again, the mail sent by Hoihnu Hauzel to Nona Walia, the author of the article:
Dear Nona,
Just a few weeks ago, we read a disturbing racist report in a national paper on how NE girls are accused of being drug peddlers. Your Sunday story "Spa with a Difference" is yet another example of how media is so callous in its approach to loosely make stark racist remark against a particular community. Quite unmindful of the fact that we live in a country which is so colourful and diverse like no other country in the world.
"Walk into a spa which has music, scented aroma candles, but you'll meet a professional doctor rather than a Linda from the Northeast."
I don't quite see the connection between "a Linda from the Northeast" and your attempt at telling a story on a booming trend on medispa. In fact, I will be quite happy if you can enlighten me with the link between the two.
If I am correct, it seems you were trying to refer to Linda, the nurse from Manipur, who was recently held for her supposed role in the kidney scam. Anyway, you must understand that there is a black sheep in every society and we, as supposed members of the media, cannot effort to be prejudice and racist.
In fact, it may be worthwhile for you to know that of the service industry in the country and particularly in the Capital city is employing people from the Northeast like never before. This is simply because people from the Northeast are considered assets to the organization. First of all, because they are non-political, hard working, do not shamelessly market themselves and are silent workers, among many other qualities.
The two smiling ladies who usher you in each time you walk into The Imperial (hotel) are from the Northeast. The ladies, who serve you your pasta at Flavors, Big Chilled, among others, are from the Northeast. Similarly, the oriental looking sensitive masseurs in all the spas around the city are actually from Northeast and not quite from Thailand or Indonesia. We ought to look at the positive side of every community. And especially in the case of Northeast, which has a perpetual grudge that they are being given a step-motherly treatment in their own country, we ought to be responsible and sensitive.
While am trying hard to figure out why you have made that reference, I would like to let you know that as responsible people form the media, we ought to be sensitive about sentiments of other communities. After all, India is a diverse country. It would be incorrect, if the media loosely make such remarks.
Your reference to NE is in your story is ugly and cruel. It is hurtful and negative to the community. To me and many members of the civil society, your reference reflects ignorance and insensitivity.
Warn regards,
Hoihnu Hauzel
Gurgaon
I will reproduce here, once again, the mail sent by Hoihnu Hauzel to Nona Walia, the author of the article:
Dear Nona,
Just a few weeks ago, we read a disturbing racist report in a national paper on how NE girls are accused of being drug peddlers. Your Sunday story "Spa with a Difference" is yet another example of how media is so callous in its approach to loosely make stark racist remark against a particular community. Quite unmindful of the fact that we live in a country which is so colourful and diverse like no other country in the world.
"Walk into a spa which has music, scented aroma candles, but you'll meet a professional doctor rather than a Linda from the Northeast."
I don't quite see the connection between "a Linda from the Northeast" and your attempt at telling a story on a booming trend on medispa. In fact, I will be quite happy if you can enlighten me with the link between the two.
If I am correct, it seems you were trying to refer to Linda, the nurse from Manipur, who was recently held for her supposed role in the kidney scam. Anyway, you must understand that there is a black sheep in every society and we, as supposed members of the media, cannot effort to be prejudice and racist.
In fact, it may be worthwhile for you to know that of the service industry in the country and particularly in the Capital city is employing people from the Northeast like never before. This is simply because people from the Northeast are considered assets to the organization. First of all, because they are non-political, hard working, do not shamelessly market themselves and are silent workers, among many other qualities.
The two smiling ladies who usher you in each time you walk into The Imperial (hotel) are from the Northeast. The ladies, who serve you your pasta at Flavors, Big Chilled, among others, are from the Northeast. Similarly, the oriental looking sensitive masseurs in all the spas around the city are actually from Northeast and not quite from Thailand or Indonesia. We ought to look at the positive side of every community. And especially in the case of Northeast, which has a perpetual grudge that they are being given a step-motherly treatment in their own country, we ought to be responsible and sensitive.
While am trying hard to figure out why you have made that reference, I would like to let you know that as responsible people form the media, we ought to be sensitive about sentiments of other communities. After all, India is a diverse country. It would be incorrect, if the media loosely make such remarks.
Your reference to NE is in your story is ugly and cruel. It is hurtful and negative to the community. To me and many members of the civil society, your reference reflects ignorance and insensitivity.
Warn regards,
Hoihnu Hauzel
Gurgaon
