Gaurav Gogoi, one of three Congress Lok Sabha members from Assam, has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remarks concerning the physical features of Chinese people, asserting that such comments are deeply traumatic for individuals from the northeastern States, who face similar stereotyping across India.
Addressing media persons in New Delhi on Wednesday (May 28, 2025), Mr. Gogoi, who was recently appointed president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, said the Prime Minister should direct his attention to pressing issues such as bilateral trade and the border situation with China, instead of making observations on physical appearance.
“Recently, while referring to China, the Prime Minister made light of the physical features of the Chinese, especially with respect to the shape of their eyes. When young men and women come from the northeast to different parts of India, they are often teased for the same physical features,” Mr. Gogoi said.
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“Such language only perpetuates the harassment and is used to taunt and tease the people of the northeast,” he added, cautioning that remarks of this nature reinforce harmful stereotypes.
The Congress MP said that young people from the northeast routinely share their experiences of discrimination when they travel to metropolitan cities for education or employment. “I must ask him to be also sensitive, as these (certain physical features) have caused a lot of trauma for young people of the northeast, who often complain to me when they come to Delhi, Bombay, or Pune for their studies,” he said.
Mr. Gogoi reiterated that national leaders have a responsibility to exercise restraint and empathy in their public discourse, particularly when referring to communities that have historically faced marginalisation.
Published – May 29, 2025 08:43 pm IST
