New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over what it described as continuing cultural and racial discrimination faced by people in various parts of the country, calling such behaviour "unacceptable in a nation that prides itself on unity in diversity." Recalling a recent incident in which a man from Kerala was ridiculed in Delhi for wearing a lungi, the court observed that such prejudice persists even outside the context of religion, and must be taken seriously by both the Union and state governments. A bench of justices Sanjay Kumar and Alok Aradhe was hearing a 2015 public interest petition seeking measures to ensure the safety and dignity of persons from the Northeastern states living across the country. Advocate Gaichangpou Gangmei, representing petitioner Alana Golmei, told the court that racial taunts, discrimination, and targeted harassment of people from the Northeast continue despite policy interventions. Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, for the Union government, submitted that a monitoring committee constituted by the ministry of home affairs is already addressing the concerns raised in the petition. The committee, formed to implement recommendations of the 2014 MP Bezbaruah Committee, has met 14 times so far and has coordinated legal aid, special police units, and other outreach initiatives. However, the bench was not satisfied that the issue was a closed one. "We recently came across an incident where a person wearing a lungi was mocked in Delhi," Justice Kumar remarked. "Targeting people because of cultural or racial differences is unacceptable. We are one country. You should be more bothered," he told the ASG....