A tribute to three Martyrs

By AK Chishti *

The Association of Premier State College Seniors deeply condoles the death of the three public servants shouldering the responsibility of serving the myriad souls destined to survive in the remote inhospitable hill-tract of the State.

We the members of the Association share the pain and agony of the bereaved families with bleeding heart and observed two minutes’ silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls that had earned the heavenly abode all because of their devotion to duty during their short Life time on earth.

The dastardly act of bludgeoning people to death in cold blood is nothing short of barbaric practice of savagery resulting in the blood feud—a phenomenon that cannot be accepted by the savage innocent even. What appall us all the more is that the occurrence of such heinous crime itself is indicative of the fact that our hard earned pluralistic civil society is still dotted with filthy elements whose temperament and instinct still remain untempered by the influence of modern education and refinement process generated by the edicts of major religions adopted by the civilized societies on earth. They could go to any extent without compunction whatsoever in their attempt to gain their desired-end. More religious service and injection of more doses of liberal education laying emphasis more on the moral aspect enabling them to respect human values will be of immense importance in that, the humble effort of this kind would help transform the State that has earned the sobriquet of ‘killing field’ into a state worth Living in.

We are now enamoured with the conviction that the departure of Dr Kishan and his two staffers namely, Shri A Rajen Sharma and Shri Y Token Singh from the State exposed to a murderous atmosphere will help the State to usher in an atmosphere congenial to the promotion of a pluralistic society in the east. Pouring of the voice of condemnation of the beastly act from all sections transcending the ethnic boundaries speaks volume of the mind-set current among all the communities that made the State as their home.

We teachers would emphatically maintain that the Medieval behavior lending credential to the perpetuation of the belief, ‘Power and brute force captives more than the mind enlightens’ finds no favour in our heart. Not satisfied with the class room lecture, with a mind having replenished with the knowledge the highest Degree University could give, Dr Kishan applied himself to task of public service that would ensure practical benefit to the mass offering his service for the promotion of welfare measure for the society lagging far behind in the race for progress. Every inch he is a hero, nay a martyr. His two associates with an unflinching heart could provide the kind of service he needed in leading to the path he preferred to push ahead. With a feeling of job satisfaction and missionary zeal Dr, Kishan discovered the romance of the hill. Ukhrul, the home of Tangkhul, a fine race whose cultural life commands a prominent spot in the mosaic culture-canvas of Manipur. The ringing of church bell reverberating the Christian message, ‘Love Thy Neighbour’ and 'Do Unto Others As You wish to be done By' in the entire hill range of the State infatuated him. His pursuit in the service of the poor highlanders trudging all along the thorny paths of rugged hill-tract compatible with that of the search for Treasure Island is something that deserves notice on the part of the public servants and officials whose posting in the hill range is considered to be as good as exiled in the God's forbidden island. But, the tragedy is that the dirty and loathsome act of the beasts among the human beings in the garb of modern man that could be abhorred even by the anthropoid lends support to the exercise of the curious notion in the mind of the sections of people shunted themselves off the hills. The occasion assumes greater significance as all the communities, the sustaining pillars of this pluralistic society of Manipur are so quick to react against the barbaric killing. It seems as though a common platform emerged out of the situation proclaiming the immediate need of a cementing force by means of subduing the ethnocentric behaviour occasionally exhibited by the constituent units of the society. The time is ripe enough for all the groups to work in unison for harmony among all groups. Let all of us try to give peace a chance to stay without having relapsed into barbaric practice. Our worries at this point of time is the question, should there be the travesty of justice owing to the application of diplomatic skill a gift offered by the modern School of Thought ? We expect a penalty to the perpetrators for their predatory behaviour that could be expected of a civilized society in a democratic State. "Eye for Eye" and "Tooth tor Tooth" even though is quite useful for the proletariat days, will be all the more barbaric on the part of the people in the republican era.

In a situation, even the SDO and his staffers posted in the sensitive area in the hill-tract infested by the rebels currently having a negotiation deal with the Central Authority with no force to confront with, could be abducted and resorting to a gruesome killing, yearning for peace has become a distant dream for the people groaning under the heavy boot. What accounted for the tragedy is not far to seek. The hidden eyes remain in the safe haven in the absence of the authority powerful enough to flash the search light upon their sleepy eyes. Occurrences of heinous crime is common for all the communities being a matter of degree only as the State has become a fertile ground for the trigger-happy gun holders in the practice of their predatory sensibility. Fallacy of the attempt to convince those who are not ready to be convinced is now quite obvious. What remains to be seen in such anarchic situation is the demonstration of the authority-like posture of the Government adequately armed with enacted laws that would clothe humanity in keeping view of the people's groping in the dark for a piece of life. We people, on our part should now be ready to put up an endeavor tightening the girdle, shedding the ethno­centric 'air that often rakes the corporate living of this multiethnic State.

We console ourselves with the notion that the three souls have earned the unique place in the heavenly abode. LET THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE.

In such a murderous atmosphere the daily-killing has become a normal feature, fear psychosis reigns supreme and people are left uncared and abandoned requiring taking care for themselves only. Public vehemence reaches melting point requiring to be exploded any moment in that the extreme mind is quick to react against the slightest provocation. National Government's apathetic attitude unmindful of the public sentiment of people could be detrimental to the stupendous task of nation building as the path is laid for the rise of the fissiparous tendencies threatening the foundation of nationhood of the subcontinent.

In such an agonizing situation we take the occasion to put a simple appeal focusing our deep-rooted and pent-up feeling with a firm conviction that our brethren armed groups of all hues will care to take heed that no more postponement of bidding farewell to killings is called for in view of the abject devastation faced by the entire populace irrespective of topographical distinction.