As the country watched in horror after terrorists exploded bombs in Ahmedabad and Bangalore ahead of Independence Day last month, a small village in far north-eastern Manipur had just finished a symbolic ritual in its efforts to end its grief over a crime purportedly unleashed by state actors.
Friends, families and human rights groups observed the last rites of 24-year-old Thangjam Manorama Devi, four years after she was allegedly raped and killed by personnel of the Assam Rifles paramilitary force. By performing the rites, they broke a pledge not to conduct the ceremony until their demands for punishment of the guilty and the repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from the state were fulfilled.
Like the Manorama Devi episode, excesses by security forces (I won’t add the word “alleged” because I have personally experienced it, being kicked, punched and shoved in the face with the nozzle of an SLR rifle while walking back home one night after attending church service), coupled with a sense of government neglect continues to alienate citizens of less-developed areas like the northeast and Naxal-dominated regions of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa.
Lack of economic opportunities is also a key factor in the proliferation of militant groups - in Manipur alone, there are reportedly 30-odd militant groups operating - perhaps joining an underground group is just another form of employment?
In other parts of the country, there are many who feel alienated because of their ethnicity, or religion. Muslims face profiling even in cosmopolitan cities (I know of a good friend, a senior journalist at that, who was unable to find accommodation in posh south Delhi. Landlords he approached told him they don’t rent to Muslims). Allegations of innocent people being framed and tortured by police following terror attacks have also been reported by newspapers.
The diabolical bombings in Bangalore and Ahmedabad also appear to have been carried out by home-grown extremists with a grouse against the state, trying to justify their actions with atrocities committed against a particular community.
Some time ago during a media event, I was trying to explain the security situation in the northeast to a senior journalist over dinner, when he suddenly stopped me in mid-sentence. “That’s the difference between people who come from your region and the rest of us,” he said, continuing “When we talk about the army, we just say ‘the army’ or ‘our army’, whereas you, wittingly or unwittingly, call them ‘the Indian army’, as if they were some foreign occupying force.”
I never realized it before, but he was right. And as a journalist trying to maintain an objective perspective, I have since taken care every time I have a discussion on the subject, But there are many others who, wittingly or unwittingly, still use that phrase - perhaps a manifestation of an underlying sentiment.
Sixty years after the country gained independence, many things have changed for the better, and we can afford to be proud of the nation’s achievements, our democracy (chaotic as it may be), and the many great men and women who have brought us to where we are.
But there is always the other side of the coin, and the truth is that there are many who feel they have been deprived, who still don’t feel like celebrating their independence.
When the tri-colour flutters and the nation erupts in celebration on August 15, some places in the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir will probably observe bandhs, with the possibility of bombs exploding, as it has been the case in previous years.
In his address to the nation last year on Independence Day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he had a “vision of an India that is undivided despite diversity…. where every citizen feels proud to be an Indian.” Are we there yet?
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Okay, here is an interesting piece for you, which was emailed to me by one of my Punjabi friend:
He said, “Paji Tushi great ho! In Punjab 50% Sikhs are Bihari! UPSC reserved for UP and Bihari. 90% UPSC selection committee, UP and Bihari. Indian Railways employment, reserved for Bihari. Various Ministries in CGO Delhi, reserved for UP and Bihari. All politicians from UP are Indian Prime Minister! Bengali kato, paji, Kerela se leka Jarkhand tak seema bandhi, ‘Father of Bandh’, Maoist ke roop pe, paji. Middle East to hogaee Keralite’s graveyards. Tamil kato, No Hindi-Tamil Bhai Bhai. NE kuddee sundar, Punjab munda handsome, Tie Knotty-Knotty. J&K to bole, “Jai Pakistan”. Maharastra bole “Jai Maharastra”. Paji ithe meh kiya bolu, “Jai Canada”!!!
And I say, “Wake up Northeast”!
- Posted by Khwairakpam TombaDear Mr. Tomba
I just wanted to say these after reading your comments. By your logic, “with all the qualifications, I cant find a job in my beloved state” everyone from Kerala should take up arms and fight for their freedom too. Do you know at least one person from every family in kerala working or studying outside of the state and the whole state’s economy depend on non-resident Keralites? There are no industries and there aren’t many private firms(thanks to the commies), should we take up an AK-47 and start asking for a free country so we can be a failed nation like Bangladesh? My friend we should all remember what the great JKF said “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
- Posted by MalluThe NE region has better educational standards and a socio-economic index compared to rest of India but suffers from one basic ingredient for life called self-esteem. I would like to quote Eleanor Roosevelt here: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Education alone cannot bring economic development to NE. It requires huge investments in infrastructure, energy and health from private, public the government organization. The fact that NE was neglected for long does not by any means justify taking up arms? Its not always a good feeling to have a gun pointed at you, be it by the state army or the extremists. No civilized country will feel pride in killing its own people, but when its come to the integrity of the country we shall live and die for that one nation called INDIA. That’s the reason why Naga & Ghorka soldiers laid their lives in the heights of Kargil. Look at Punjab after the end of violence & Khalistan demand. SME’s & large scale industries along with agriculture are booming. Is NE states any less in natural or human resources compared to Punjab? I don’t think so.
We are proud to be Marathi’s, Sikhs, Kashmiris, Tamils, Bengalis, Mizo, Assamese, Nagas and all the clans in between, that’s our strength and our weakness. Let us built on the strengths and turn our weakness to strength. Every state in India has it own problems and in spite of all these we compete with each other and aspire to grow and prosper.
It is true and accepted fact that NE was neglected for a long time. For the past 10 -15 years successive governments have addressed this issue to bring development. Take the example of Kerala which doesn’t have any large scale industries or infrastructure but it has the highest standards of living, comparable to many west European countries. What would have happened to Kerala had they chosen to walk the path of their Bodo and Naga brothers. NE had a choice and till has one which shall lead to great future and prosperous destiny.
Indian government can only devise plans and guidelines for development but it is up to the people and its leaders to walk the path and chart their course under the sun. Times are changing and in order to be counted we have to stand up on our legs. It is easy to blame the government for all the failures, but to walk the path and to reach glory we need character, hard work and importantly good leaders.
We Indians are proud of our democracy and less so about our present leaders. The present education have given us only means to find our own life comforts. All we aspire is a decent education and a good paying job, that’s “Mission accomplished” for many Indians. We complain about corruption in politics, police and state machinery. We bribe to get even what is rightful to us.
We only think for ourselves and our selfish gains, but how many of us aspire to become Leaders and change the course of this corrupt country and its fabled democracy.
- Posted by SrinivasanWhen this mindset changes India will be free again.
Let us produce good leaders and attain Glory.
Dear Mr. Tomba,
I hope you understand by now that these arguments are leading us to nowhere. questions can be raised and answers given only to crowd the space with more questions. happy independence day and lets try to help our nation ourselves rather than complaining. may be it’s a theory but a solid one.
enjoy your life and watch olympics. please train some good athletes from NE, the only indian hope for olympics medals.
- Posted by Anup Royi really loved that you said that why we indians dont like being called indians. i think i am getting you ………i know dude how it feels when you think that your region is being neglected. i can understand you feeling. i also understand you love for the nation.
but dude try to understand that its our nation and we have to make things happen. have faith and really believe that people dont care whether you look like them or not. today its the private sector that is leading in india and all that people care is can you deliver it.
may be your field doesnt have that many opportunities. try a career change. learn a programming language and get into IT. you will surely find a job easily and believe me every indian is equal. its easy to think negative then to have faith.
Jai Hind
- Posted by Abhishek KumarDear Tomba,
Its easy to cry foul and keep on crying foul. Your going and getting education in Delhi proves a lot of points but you wont understand them. I dont have the type of energy to make you understand. I had written a long comment today but dont understand why moderator didnt publish it. May be I told a lot of truth and the moderator themselves dont want truth to be told.
You must understand that why no one is setting up industry in your state. Who will set up industry in a region where there is an insurgency. Let there be peace and prosperity will follow.
You must be respectful of other people but the type of comments you have made about women of other regions tell a lot. Please learn to respect others.
Crying baby gets the milk but mother India doesnt have too much of resources. Things are moving slowly but things are happening. A lot of progress has been made in 60 years but yet a lot remains to be done.
You will have to be responsible for your own region. Government is of the people, by the people and for the people. So its us “the people” who will have to be responsible for development in our own region. People are doing things in a constructive way. Learn it from them.
Not everyone gets jobs in their own state and people have to move out.
Your doing PHD is good but is not enough to get a job. No one is to be blamed as it is a jungle and only the fittest survive. One of my friend from Tamilnadu today told about a guy who is doing a job in call centre as it pays him more then his phd job. May be your field doesnt have that many opportunities or may be you are not a great candidate to land up with a job. A lot of guys are there who dont get jobs as its a nation of 1 billion people. People create opportunities for themselves. If you have mettle then prove it by sitting in UPSC. As no one asks for your race,caste or religion there. Well dude tell me do you have it in you???
Everyone has a role to play in the development of the nation and you must play your part.
Jai Hind
- Posted by Abhishek Kumar