The impact of the helpless gaze of Linthoingambi

The Shaktigandhi Singh *

There are so many gazes in the world ! And we have seen many a powerful gaze, but we haven’t seen such an extremely powerful gaze produced by our sister, Hijam Linthoingambi, before. There was no one who didn’t have tears in their eyes when they saw her gaze.

I was also in a state of being teary eyed and I was unable to control my anger, and so I cursed the killers and those in power who had been waiting for the ‘Breaking News’ only that announced both the two students, Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi, who went missing on July 6th have been killed by the animals (it is perfect to call them like this).

Who shall not call the two students as warriors or heroes of us ? Is there any objection when I call them as one of the heroes of Manipur ?

“No one deeply analyses the silent feelings displayed by the helpless gaze of Linthoingambi, our beloved sister”

Whose daughter was Linthoingambi ? What is the name of her home ? Who is the head of the home ? Who are the principals who ordered to treat Student’s Society as Animal’s Society? Who is the person who ought to have rescued her in time ? Is she not our blood ? Does she have the blood of the animals ?

Many a multitude of questions my heart still asks. Is Linthoingambi not a daughter of Manipur or of India ? Is Manipur (India) not her home? Is the double engine Government not the head of the home ? Are both the Central and State Governments not the principals who ordered to treat students like animals ? Why the Government not rescued his own blood timely even though he knew that the blood was in his own home?

The pilot who does not know how to fly an aeroplane carrying passengers properly must resign at once from the pilot profession because we don’t want to be a passenger of the person who is not capable of being a pilot.

Our Government is the right synonym of such a pilot. Yes, our Government has two engines, and it is a shame that the combined two engines were not able to rescue and save the two innocent students from the jaws of the homeless animals.

What is the meaning of our Government having two engines ? Do you know why ? Yes, let me tell you the reason: they have two engines because they do not have confidence themselves and they have two so as to replace when one is broken down. And we know one engine has collapsed and has been under repair and I don’t know who the mechanic is.

On the other hand, the second engine also produces no sound related to the deceased. Yes, the second engine had been sleeping for many days, but two nude bodies made him wake up from sleeping and condemn those who were involved in the crime. That’s why I think we don’t have any way to stop the second engine from snoring except by producing two nude bodies in his dream.

Is the said engine waiting for another nude viral video? For the two Kuki women, both the engines sound quickly, more quickly than light, but for the two students, Linthoingambi and Hemanjit, both the engines have been watching, like watching TV, forgetting the spellings of ‘respond quickly’, one of the good governance signs.

Anyway, let’s scrutinize the one and only gaze of Linthoingambi and its impact both on those who can understand the meaning of it and those who cannot comprehend the meaning of it. The gaze of our sister has made many riddles and many questions. The helpless gaze did seek help calling our Government inside her heart; but, our Government neglected it thinking that the area where she stays is out of our border line.

Has Manipur Government already sold Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and other areas mainly dominated by Kukis ? Look at the gaze of our Linthoingambi deeply and you will surely understand what the gaze would say. The gaze says, “Please help me soon or I will be killed brutally by animals, the supporters of drugs”.

Do you know the person she is speaking to? She is speaking to the Manipur Government, but unfortunately the Government answers like this, “stay there and pray to God because I have no power to come up to you and save you as the place where you are crying for help is out of our control that is in another planet”. Is such answer acceptable from a democratic Government ?

Actually our Government doesn’t understand the gaze, but we students know the exact meaning of the gaze. Understanding the helpless gaze, students of different schools and colleges in Manipur gathered and launched a peaceful protest against the silence and inaction of our Government whereas not understanding the gaze, the Government releases his men to bite them.

When students, holding banners read “We Want Justice”, process a rally to break the sleeping Government, the Government cracks down on them with brute force. Our Government is not capable of being a Government.

Are those MLAs who form the Government watching the fight raised between future pillars and their henchmen ? Yes, they are watching the chaos in Manipur, a place where screen is shown, from Delhi, a place where they are sitting now. They are the wonder of wonders. They were elected by the people for not the people, but for going to Delhi frequently. They go to Delhi to sleep and dream there leaving displaced people and bereaved families alone. They go to Delhi while people go to morgue.

The viral photo where Linthoingambi is seen like a helpless being trapped by a hunter, looking at the camera of the animals. Her lovely and meaningful gaze will continue to haunt us. Behind her, we see two animals standing with guns in their hands. They are even less than animals because of the below reasons:

1. They don’t have beds to sleep in; they sleep leaning against trees.
2. They don’t dress; they dress snatching from human beings like us.
3. They don’t have food to eat; they eat what is available in the forest.
4. They don’t have homes; they live in the forest with mosquitoes.
5. They are wild because they came from another land.

They are cruel animals; they killed Linthoingambi and Hemanjit severely after torturing them in a way we cannot imagine. This is nonsense. I fully condemn such brutal action in a democratic State like Manipur.

My heart is overwhelming with dissatisfaction! My heart is filled with horror to think of Manipur! Once Manipur abounded with many leaders who did lead people against evil doings, not being afraid of losing their lives. In contrast today’s leaders are those who always stand behind people. We don’t want such cowardly leaders !

Manipur leaders’ pockets are full of money the source of where they come from no known to anybody. They have been saving money to cover people’s mouths. To give an idea, when an innocent man is dead and the bereaved family cries fasting for many days thinking of the loss ones, the leaders would visit the family and give some money to pacify the family of the deceased. To stop people’s mouth is a piece of cake, they think. This is the very common characteristic of Manipur leaders.

Before Linthoingambi was killed, she left us her meaningful gaze to brood over later. We should protest until we get the answer. Many students are wounded including girls; they are injured for the sake of “Justice”.

Therefore, let’s unite together to avenge for Linthoingambi so that she might satisfy herself from the heaven!