Geometrical and Theoretical Deconstruction of 'North-East' India.

The paper explores the factors that induce people of so-called North-East India to collectively identify themselves as Northeasterners. It also examines the factors that lead them to be categorised by others as Northeasterners. This is done against the backdrop of a geometrical error in ascertaining the direction of so-called North-East India with reference to the present national capital, Delhi. The colonial project of categorisation of its subjects in the 'north-east frontier of Bengal' and sustained categorisation and identification of the same in free India is understood within the framework of social identity theory. Theoretically, the paper extends the social identity theory by adding the aspects of social validation and social invalidation to understand the materialisation and non-materialisation, respectively, of perceived social identity with respect to a group. To address the issues arising from the erroneous categorisation of places and people with a colonial arbitrary term 'North-East', the author proposes principles of individualisation and human rights. The principle of individualisation offers a possibility towards respecting the unique individual identity of the constituent groups of so-called North-East India and thus allows the ceasing of violation of human rights of the people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]