Is it the case of Good Intentions going Wrong?

Like any North-Easterner, when I first read this and some blog reaction over this issue, I thought, why Delhi Police, why? Why and what made them (Delhi Police) think that we northeasterner are uncivilized and insensitive towards the local populace? How our food habits are threat to social order? How it was deduced that the women from the region are of ‘loose morals’, always ‘provocatively dressed’ inviting rape? Why this guidelines for the people of Northeast alone, and not for others? Why this ‘social profiling’?

But when I went through this controversial 20 pages booklet titled Security tips for North East students/Visitors in Delhi published in an endeavor towards their ‘With You, For You, Always’ by West District Delhi Police which has had the Delhi Police accused of ‘social profiling’ or ‘othering’, of implying people of the North East as uncivilized and women of having ‘loose morals’; the fact that it was penned by an officer from North East made me ponder over the whole issue again.

(Image source The Telegraph)

The booklet contains tips on Traveling to Delhi.., Finding accommodation at Delhi, Admission to Institutions/Colleges, What to do when in distress, Caution for parents in North East, Personal safety, etc., etc., among others besides the tips on Food Habits and Dress Code (reproduced below) which led to this entire outrage.

FOOD HABITS AND PARTIES

1. Bamboo shoots, Akhuni and other smelly dishes should be prepared without creating ruckus in neighbourhood.
2. Your party should not disturb next door.
3. Loud music should be stopped/discouraged after 10.00 P.M. (Supreme Court’s Order)

DRESS CODE

1. When in rooms do as Roman does.
2. Revealing dress be avoided.
3. Avoid lonely road/by-lane when dressed scantily.
4. Dress according to sensitivity of local populace.

Sans North-East in the title, the tip doesn’t seem that bad as is made out to be and in fact the tips would be helpful for others as well who are visiting or studying at Delhi. But the fact that it was especially drafted for people of North East put the people in poor light almost akin to people of the region being uncivilized, insensitive and of poor dressing sense, always in bad taste- to be told how to dress and what to eat.

And while drafting those guidelines, Robin Hibu (DCP-West), an IPS Officer from Arunachal Pradesh, wouldn't have anticipated that these security tips would snowball into a major 'ruckus', inviting strong criticism from the Northeast Students community at Delhi; after all, all he intended was only an 'elderly-brother' advice to Northeastern students and visitors from Northeast to remain safe at Delhi. In his own words

"I wanted to share my experience with young students. I have advised the students to dress according to the sensitivity of the local population and be wary of going to unknown places. When you come from that far, you tend to have difficulties in adjusting. It is not an order, just an elder-brotherly advice. If they don’t want to follow it, it’s up to them."

Now I wonder, if it is the case of all the good intentions going wrong, may be because of choosing wrong media (in the form of Booklet by Delhi Police) and with wrong authority (Police Officer)? An advice or tip for staying safe at Delhi from Robin Hibu, a fellow North-Easterner would have been much more appreciated than from Robin Hibu, an IPS Officer of Delhi Police and not in the form of booklet which put the people from North East in poor light.

(Cross posted)