Tripura youth Lesongit Reang says he did not know content creator Amir Shokeen before an alleged racial abuse incident captured in a viral video. Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman has demanded strict action and accountability.
Lesongit Reang, a youth from Tripura who was allegedly subjected to racial abuse and harassment in an incident captured in a viral social media video, has said that he did not know content creator Amir Shokeen before the incident and had never seen him previously.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Reang said he wanted people to understand what had happened to him and clarified that he had no prior acquaintance with Shokeen. His statement came amid widespread public attention and criticism following the circulation of the video on social media.
“First of all, I did not know him beforehand. I know one of his friends, but I did not know him, and neither had I seen him before,” Reang said while describing his experience.
Recounting the incident, Reang suggested that the people involved might have been under the influence of alcohol at the time. He said the remarks directed at him, as seen in the viral video, were hurtful and inappropriate, particularly because he was not acquainted with the person making them.
According to Reang, although the comments caused him emotional distress, he found it difficult to respond at the time because many people were present at the location.
“I was hurt due to the remarks, but there were a lot of people at that time, so I could not do anything, not even object,” he said.
The incident has triggered debate over racial discrimination, the treatment of people from India’s northeastern states and the responsibilities of social media content creators. The controversy has also prompted calls for accountability over videos that allegedly mock people’s physical appearance or regional identity.
Accompanying Reang was Tipra Motha Party (TMP) founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, who called for strict action against Shokeen over the alleged incident. Deb Barman said that issuing an apology after making offensive remarks should not automatically absolve a person of responsibility.
He argued that creating content that insults people from a particular region or targets their physical appearance for entertainment or financial gain was unacceptable. He also called for strong action against the creator’s channel, including a possible ban, if violations were established under the applicable rules.
“Won’t it weaken the nation to call citizens of our own land by such names?” Deb Barman asked, urging people across different parts of India to stand together as one nation and treat one another with dignity and mutual respect.
The TMP founder also called for action in Tripura, where an FIR had reportedly already been registered in connection with the incident. He said legal proceedings should be allowed to address the allegations and suggested that the accused should have an opportunity to experience Tripura’s culture and traditions.
Deb Barman further questioned the significance of an apology if it was issued primarily out of fear of possible imprisonment. He maintained that accountability should be determined through the appropriate legal process rather than an apology alone.
Earlier, Shokeen apologised after the video surfaced online and attracted widespread criticism. In a Facebook post, he reportedly claimed that the video was scripted and that the person featured in it was known to him.
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However, Reang’s statement directly disputes the claim that he knew Shokeen before the incident, while distinguishing between knowing one of the creator’s friends and having a personal acquaintance with the creator himself.
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The controversy has renewed attention to concerns about racial stereotyping and discrimination against people from Northeast India. Calls for action have focused on the importance of protecting individual dignity, discouraging abusive online content and ensuring that allegations are investigated fairly.
The matter remains one for the relevant authorities to examine. Any determination of criminal responsibility will depend on the evidence and the outcome of the legal process.
