Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has called for the upliftment of citizens of the North East in fostering unification of the country. Addressing the 7th North East Student Festival (NEST) in New Delhi today, Mr Rijiju said that the recognition and awareness of the North Eastern people have changed since 2014. He added that discrimination against the North Eastern people in other parts of the country has decreased.

The Minister also urged everyone to be aware of the citizens who reside in different parts of the country. Lauding the 7th successive conduction of the NEST festival, Mr Rijiju said that events like these spread awareness about the North Eastern culture. Mr Rijiju reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal on the ongoing Manipur Protests. He said that weapons must be put down and the communities must live with unity and harmony.