Parents of a youth from Arunachal Pradesh, who was murdered in New Delhi recently, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who said he associated himself with their grief and that "severest punishment" should be given to those guilty of the "most shameful" act.
Nido Tania's father Nido Pavitra and mother Nido Marina presented a 10-point memorandum in which they demanded capital punishment for the killers and urged the government to declare January 30 as 'National Anti-Racism' day besides installing a statue in memory of their son in Delhi.
After hearing them, the PM assured them that all the issues raised in the memorandum will be addressed.
"I associate myself with your deep sense of sorrow on Nido Tania's tragic demise. I have no words to express my feelings," Dr Singh said about the killing of the 19-year-old after an altercation with some shopkeepers at Lajpat Nagar last month.
"What has happened is most shameful and it should never have happened. The severest punishment under the law should be meted out to those found guilty," he said.
The PM assured the parents, who met him along with a delegation that included Arunachal Pradesh MP Takam Sanjoy, that the government will work with them to see that "we will get control of the situation".
Dr Singh said he has always praised the leaders of Arunachal Pradesh and the northeast on their foresight in ensuring that all children are taught Hindi. "Your Hindi is better than mine," he told them.
He asserted that all people from the northeast and other parts of the country have every right to work and live in peace in the capital. "It is the duty of every citizen to ensure that such tragedies do not take place," he said.
After the 30-minute meeting, the victim's father Pavitra told reporters that they had presented a memorandum comprising 10 demands to the PM.
"We have submitted a ten-point memorandum to the PM. He has agreed to the demands," said Pavitra, who is a Congress MLA in Arunachal Pradesh.
He said that Dr Singh has also assured security of northeastern students in Delhi.
"The PM is very concerned about Nido Tania's case. He is also concerned for the northeastern people," he added.
The delegation also sought action against police officials for allegedly refusing to register an FIR.
"The parents have demanded stern action against erring officials involved in the case, who did not register the FIR in time and did not take care of the medication of the children after the first attack," said Sanjoy, Lok Sabha member from Arunachal West.
Image: Nido Tania's mother meets Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi
Photograph: PIB
