India has take the first steps to address a discrimination issue that has plagued the country for years by making the term 'chinki' an offensive term which is punishable by arrest. In an attempt to prevent racial discrimination against people from North-East India, who have for the last 60 years faced increased racism amongst the Indian ethnic groups, the Union ministry of Home affairs has asked all the states and union territories to arrest anyone who commits an act of atrocity against people from the region under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The move has been welcomed by rights activists and many campaigners from the North-East regions.