Memorandum submitted to Manipur CM over lynching of youth

17th September 2018

NEFIS SUBMITS MEMORANDUM TO MANIPUR CM OVER THE LYNCHING OF YOUTH IN IMPHAL WEST!
DENOUNCES BJP GOVT FOR FUELLING HATRED AMONGST COMMUNITIES IN NORTH-EAST WHICH CAUSED LYNCHING!
CONDEMNS COLLUSION OF POLICE PERSONNEL WITH THE MOB!
NEFIS CALLS FOR STRICT PUNITIVE ACTION AGAINST SUCH ACTS OF COLLUSION!

North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) activists today submitted a memorandum addressed to Manipur Chief Minister and sought speedy action against the accused in Imphal West mob lynching case.

NEFIS had earlier organized a Candle Light Vigil at North Campus, Delhi University against the incidents of communal clashes and mob lynching which recently occurred in Assam and Manipur respectively. It should be known that a 26-year-old student, Farooque Khan, was lynched in Manipur’s Imphal West district on Thursday after being accused of stealing a vehicle by local residents.

The victim who belonging to Lilong Haoreibi in Thoubal district, was attacked by a mob at Tharoijam village in Imphal West district. The mob also destroyed a car in which Farooque and two others were travelling. What is especially shocking is the collusion of police personnel with the mob, who despite being present at the spot did nothing to save the victim.

Such incidents of mob lynching are occurring with a disturbing regularity across the country ever since the BJP govt has come to power at the centre. In various states in the North-East too, the trend of mob-lynching is on the rise with the formation of BJP govts in these states.

It is due to the mutual hatred which has been fuelled by the BJP govt that even communities co-existing peacefully as neighbours since a long time, have had clashes in recent times. Such atmosphere has emerged due to the underdevelopment of the region, which fuels hatred towards other communities and results in brutal manifestations such as the present incident.

Such incidents also point towards complete failure of the state machinery to maintain peace. It also occurs due to the apathy of the state which fuels poor functioning of the police system and even active connivance of police personnel in many cases. The brutal incidents such as the present one are also the fallout of the absence of pro-people policies in the region.

In such a scenario, the minority communities are most vulnerable. The discrimination against minorities in North-East could be witnessed even earlier. In Manipur especially, in recent times a trend has emerged to castigate Muslim community as thieves. Now, with the rising trend of mob lynching in the country, such stereotyping and the tendency to view minorities suspiciously has also increased in the North-East, due to which the community is forced to live in an atmosphere of fear.

In the memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, NEFIS demanded strict action against the culprits so as to ensure justice for the deceased. It also demanded that an act aimed at the protection of minorities should be enacted and that the government should clamp down on incidents of mob lynching and communal clashes, and seriously deal with vested interests wishing to destroy social fabric of the region. NEFIS calls upon all communities to undertake confidence building measures aimed at building communal harmony among them.

Chinglen Khumukcham,
Member,
Convening Committee,
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS)