AGARTALA/NEW DELHI: Political parties in Tripura closed ranks Wednesday over the alleged racial harassment in Delhi of a tribal youth from Gomati district and demanded legal action against social media influencer Amir Shokeen after a video purportedly showing him taunting the young man over his ethnicity circulated online.
The clip, which surfaced Tuesday evening, purportedly shows Shokeen asking the youth if he is the "president" of a neighbouring country. He allegedly also mocks Tripura when the man responds he is Indian.
CM Manik Saha of BJP directed the Tripura DGP to coordinate with Delhi Police and ensure a proper probe. CPM state secretary and lead-er of the opposition Jitendra Chaudhury demanded Shokeen apologise.
"Establish a precedent that is both resounding and unmistakable, ensuring no one ever dares insult Tripura and the Tiprasa community again," he said.
Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman called for a joint protest in Delhi. "This type of attitude is intolerable," he said.
After TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarman called on the party's youth and students' wings to act, Youth Tipra Federation lodged a complaint accusing Shokeen of hate speech and defamatory remarks.
"Shokeen made crude and vulgar remarks..., calling him 'Chinese' and made fun of our state's name," said James Debbarma, general sec-retary of Youth Tipra Federation and an elected member of the Tripura tribal areas autonomous district council.
Members of Twipra Students' Federation plan to meet the Delhi Police commissioner Thursday. "We are trying to identify the boy who was harassed and file a complaint," said general secretary Hamalu Jamatia.
Shokeen has put out a video on Facebook claiming it was scripted. He said the target of his alleged abuse was an acquaintance who worked at a friend's cafe in Ahmedabad. "I did not intend to insult the people of Tripura, and I apologise if my words hurt anyone," he said.