MUMBAI: The sad demise of 19-year-old Nido Tania in Delhi has created a furore all over. The gory incident has just not got the protestors on the streets to seek justice for the slain student, but has even put the government on a hyperactive active mode. Considering the rising instances of bias against the North Eastern community, the Home Ministry has sent a letter to various broadcasting bodies in the country asking them to sensitise the TV audiences about the culture of the North East.

Since the seven states of North East India don’t get much prominence on the channels, the Ministry has requested them to come up with programmes centered on NE citizens and culture. The Ministry is of the opinion that the migrated population from the region ‘might be getting treated differently due to their different culture’ that include their typical physical features, culture, food habits and dressing sense. It has also advised the news channels to send journalists to the NE region to cover its issues and also increase interaction with those who have migrated to different cities.

A broadcaster, however, says that from a business point of view, it is too expensive to cover the region. He points out that since the TV ratings agency TAM does not cover the entire region, except few parts of Assam, it becomes difficult to keep a tab on TVTs. Secondly, the area doesn’t have many advertisers, except for few tea brands.

For now, the letters have been sent out to the various broadcasting bodies such as the News Broadcasters Association and the Indian Broadcasting Federation. They will have to think about whether or not they would want to take up the suggestion by the Ministry.

Nido Tania, son of an Arunachal Pradesh Congressman in Delhi, was killed during an argument with a shopkeeper over his hair colour.