Political circles in Tripura have strongly condemned the alleged racial mistreatment of a tribal youth from the state by a content creator in Delhi, calling the episode an insult to the people of the region. The controversy has reignited discussions on social media regarding the persistent racial profiling of individuals hailing from the Northeast, where derogatory ethnic remarks are frequently disguised as humor or lighthearted online entertainment.
In response to the developments, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha instructed the state Director General of Police to establish active coordination with Delhi Police regarding the incident, asserting that the law will take its course. The directive signals an assertive approach from the state administration as pressure mounts from regional leaders seeking accountability for the offensive online material.
The outcry began after video footage surfaced showing self-identified content creator Amir Shokeen allegedly directing disparaging remarks at the youth, which included referring to him as Chinese. The clip drew widespread condemnation across digital platforms, with numerous users highlighting the harmful nature of ethnic stereotypes and the normalisation of racial abuse under the guise of content creation.
The incident also drew sharp criticism from Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, who demanded strict punitive measures against the individuals involved. He maintained that ethnic slurs targeted at individuals from Tripura cannot simply be brushed aside as harmless jokes or dismissed as stunts designed to gain online traction.
Taking concrete legal steps, the Youth Tipra Federation, which serves as the youth wing of the Tipra Motha Party, formally lodged a police complaint against Amir Shokeen. The grievance was submitted to the Officer-in-Charge of the NCC Police Station in Agartala on Wednesday, seeking the filing of a formal First Information Report under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Following the severe online backlash and mounting pressure, Amir Shokeen issued a public apology expressing regret for offending the sentiments of the residents of Tripura. In a subsequent social media statement, he maintained that the footage was scripted and asserted that the participant in the video was known to him, having previously worked at an acquaintance's cafe located in Ahmedabad.
