Kohima: A scholarly gathering turned hostile at Nagaland House in New Delhi on September 15. Invited speakers Dolly Kikon and her husband Sanjay Barbora, both professors at the University of California, Santa Cruz, reported being harassed by venue staff. The event, hosted by the Naga Scholars Association, was scheduled from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm but ended early.
Students were cleaning the hall and speaking with the professors when conflict erupted. The venue manager, identified as Ms. Metha, ordered lights turned off and demanded the group leave immediately. Tensions spiked when a receptionist banged on a desk and told the group to be quiet. An anonymous student source alleged the receptionist made racist remarks toward Barbora, who is Assamese, including a threat to beat him.
Kikon described the encounter as a horrible, humiliating experience. She stated: “It was very embarrassing and humiliating because they were our guests. They are one of the leading scholars, and the manager of the Nagaland House treated them as though they were just random people.”
Barbora noted that the staff acted in a very unprofessional manner. He claimed the receptionist grew aggressive when asked to speak with respect. PRO Kuolie Mere intervened before the parties parted ways, and apologies were later exchanged. Despite the apology, the Naga Scholars Association plans to lodge a formal complaint with the Resident Commissioner. Barbora stated he wants to move on, but the incident left a bad taste.
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