A Solidarity Never Seen Before

S. Kunjabihari Singh *

The recent incident of gruesome killing sometime between 14-17 Feb. of Dr. Th Kishan, A Rajen and Y. Token in Senapati district is reckoned as one the rarest piece of cruelty, bordering with acts of animalism, in living memory, ever meted out to any human being. The manner in which the three officials were put to death, allegedly in the most barbarous manner-visible marks of spade-slicing on the face, followed by signs of bludgeoning with a massive stone, paint a grim scene unimaginable for any humane being in the modern era to have accomplished.

Shot to death or for that matter, hanged to death would have been far more shocking and in the ultimate compulsion of a choice, it would have been still more preferred and perhaps would not have touched the heart of so many people from across the state and outside, come what may be the charges framed against the three.Dr.kishan is acclaimed to be a courageous, upright humane being with a visionary zeal to accomplish things with unshakable determination. I have not known him, nor heard about, except this time around.

I believe, he must be, from all the accounts given so profusely and with so much of touch of love, in the papers recently, he must be a schoolmate of my eldest son Dr.Jeetesh in the Don Bosco School Chingmeirong. From what appeared in the papers-in fact so many of them -in the last fortnight or so of this gruesome killing, I could perceive that Dr. Kishan was a very hardworking and serious student. He might not be a brilliant student academically, that is OK, but his sincerity, devotion and staidness are visible.

He is also remembered as one with a strong willpower and steadfastness and as a person with integrity and that was how he could rise, from apparently a humble position, to this position of authority till the other day. These are indeed very rare qualities of the human race and very few souls are gifted with these.

If I am given the choice between academic brilliance on the one side and these attributes on the other, I have no doubt; I would prefer the second, for these are very rare and are the ones called for in abundance in our society today. The loss of Dr. Kishan at this time when he just was on the path to a mission, a manifestation of a long cherished zeal for some concrete service to the society was, therefore, a loss beyond redemption.

What triggered me to pen down a few reflections on the episode, in particular to the developments after the despicable murder, was not so much on the qualities of the departed soul, but on the kind of massive and more importantly spontaneous response of the people cutting across communities, from the hills and the plains, from inside and outside the state.

The show of solidarity, so profusely exhibited, so lovingly demonstrated, it speaks volumes on the popularity and love of the late Dr Kishan. Never before has so much of solidarity been shown on a single individual, from so many societies, organizations of various tribal groups, clubs, associations, meira paibies, churches, religious organisations, schools, colleges, from every nook and corner of the entire state.

Even this day sit-in-protests continue to demand justice for the gruesome killing. Dr.Kishan must be a good human being; he deserves these. The call for solidarity still powering in, the call for availing massive casual leaves from government offices, not only in Imphal,the valley, more so from all offices in Khasom Khullen,where he served last, from all the districts particularly Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenglong and other hill areas. Never before has such massive love and concern, been shown to such a young officer, irrespective of community affiliations. This is amazing and only persons of his imminence can expect not ordinary souls like me.

Among the many tributes showered on him, I recall one or two which touched my heart.One, from Sanjoy Borbora,a college mate of his, which said "…..fallacy of the argument that one upright person can make a difference….I suppose, if he were corrupt, he would have lived today.." (TSE 4-3-9).Another one fromTh.Muivah which read, "In this moment of despair and distress we all need to join hands with one spirit of doing with all acts of killing across communal line" (TSE 27-2-09).

Tributes like "Dr.Kishan Nipped in the Bud" from Ph.Jayalaxmi,(TSE 24-02-09).All these are testimony of the quality the departed soul possessed in abundance. Fr. LM. Manjo, Principal of Good Shepherd School,Kasom Khullen observed, "We are told he was tempted, shocked and shaken, fighting with all that held him back,.....,fighting the social evils of today".(TSE-07-03-09).The officer clearly stood, head and shoulder, above the rest. Truly, it is a great loss!

I still harbor on an approach to the whole confrontation the young officer could have faced.Hypothetically,I can imagine a situation where the NSCN(IM) could have pressurized him to give his consent and approval to a certain proposal involving works costing a couple of lakhs of rupees. It could be any scheme.

To gain weight, he could have been told also that the DC had, in principal, no objection to the line of suggestion of the NSCN (IM). The officer by virtue of his being responsible and upright, and burning for righteous principles, could have refused flately, pointing a finger to the Party that he could not be a party to such an irregular practice under any circumstances. He could have demonstrated his ire and shown the intruders the door. Here lies the point I wish to strike.

The young officer could have used some tact, some kind of a diplomacy, rather than abruptly brush aside the cadres. I do not, for a moment, concede that he should bow down meekly. I emphasis that he could have perhaps bought time-that, he could have argued that he was not authorized to approve of such proposals as were placed before him, that, he wished to consult the DC, or prefer to secure a formal approval, that he was too small an officer to bypass any standing instruction of the government, that he could perhaps do so after keeping the DC and others into confidence, that he could appreciate the problems of the UG, and the like.

Perhaps, a shift in the way of handling the situation befallen on him could alter the trend of developments. He could have refrained from taking a firm decision then and there. Ambiguity sometimes pays. I remember, the former PM, late, Narasimha Rao, was pointedly criticized by the late, Madhav Rao Scindia, alleging, "Narasimha Raoji does not take decisions." The former PM, however retorted, "...

Not taking a decision is also a decision." I am compelled to abide by the philosophy of the late PM, in matters of delicate, sensitive and complicated issues.