Kohima: “Are we ready to shake Twitter?” read a poster as students from across Northeast India gear up to create a Twitter storm between 6-8 pm on the microblogging site on Friday. #NortheastMatters and #AChapterforNE are the two hashtags that the students plan to trend to attract the attention of the Government of India to include a Northeast-related chapter in National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks that are followed by CBSE schools.
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Cases of racism against the people from the region witnessed an increased across the country, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the move to storm Twitter was sparked by a recent incident where Punjab-based YouTuber Paras Singh used racial slur against Ninong Ering, former Member of Parliament and Congress Legislator from Arunachal Pradesh.
“Racism at its peak is ignorance at its roots,” reads the poster circulating on the microblogging site, calling the attention of students and people from the region to respond to the cause.
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“Our history, ethnicity, lifestyle, personalities, natural resources and patriotism have to find a place in NCERT books,” it added.
Ering had also taken to Twitter to show his support. “Inclusion of our culture and history must be done in the curriculum. Had introduced a Bill in the same issue in 2017 in Lok Sabha,” the former MP said.
The call for Twitter storm has received wide attention from people across the region. MP (Lok Sabha) from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao, Nagaland legislators like Zale Neikha and Kuzholuzo Nienu, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie, also showed their support towards the initiative.
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Prominent musician from Nagaland Alobo Naga also took to Twitter urging all citizens to extend support.
As per reports, around 30 student organizations from the region have joined hands to create awareness about the cause of the online event.
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