Transcending Patriots' Day(s)
- Part 2 -

Yengkhom Myrtle-Zest *

3) Tergiversating border pillars' issues and laxity of Indian border-armed guards at Indo-Myanmar is a fact not a speculation as per many reliable reports. Highly strategic move by the centre as some say! Strategic at the cost of us?

Recently, the so called high level team led by Surveyor General of India visiting the state border not on spot but vicinity(later dragged and sling their timidity or arrogance by our brave Kotha women) to inspect(rather say somnambulism visit than inspection) the current border alarming issue with Myanmar is ridiculous and ironically shows their "Burmese Patriotism" being Indian in relative to other case of Indo-Pak or Indo-china border issues. Those concerned officials are seriously uncalled-for but on-record their sheer negligence indelible and undeniable. Incredible India!!

4) North-East India can't be any sort of lebensraum by passing Citizenship amendment Bill.

The motive itself is more of much-talked cynical Hindutva stuff which is ridiculous in a self-praised secular country. After all, it is not a matter of secular or non-secular for us. Unending debates aside, the fact is of existential crises, sensitive resultants and its awful trajectories. It can be largely connected with the alarming dreaded dis-ease and suffocation the world started facing called Demographic Explosion.

Population control throughout the world is a must no matter what ideology, religion or dogma one subscribes or bound by its doctrinaires. As of now, Earth is the only planet inhabitable known to us and proportionality of land and its habitants matters a lot.

5) Sprouting of well-engineered-like incidents almost nearing internecine strife from certain issues and sometimes diversified, ramified then distorted to extent of chronic erosion in many spheres at the cost of live and resources, inescapably boomerang back reaping the bitter consequences due to unnecessary mediation from third parties or incompetent authorities or negligence in timely intervention by the state govt. as evident in many cases foundered colossal time and resources deviated from potential developments .

Loth to accept or negotiate through objectivity, inventiveness and benevolent ideas can pent-up emotions among communities or may create thriftless barriers. Of course, trust-deficit, misunderstanding need be restored mutually but remain vehemently stubborn to certain demands deteriorates together spiralling backwards.

6) Centre always appears and has been riding roughshod over us on many sensitive and delicate issues without sound knowledge and understanding be it cultural, historical, strategic, sociological and economical. Be it fanciful Projects which return unimaginable exploitation and dislocation, many still pending and delayed in granting deserved returns or assurances.

Through upcoming railway-projects and Act East Policy, the large wheels of commerce will start rolling for sure; apart from lack of intricate readiness and requisite set-ups, narky and unwantedly influx of beggars or its related activities is highly probable through train routes or other routes which should be forestalled. Maintaining our sanctity of beggar-free society since immemorial is a must.

Undeniably, there are undefined groups extorting and demanding money like a powerful-beggar but we shouldn't add another burden or pestilence of overt-beggar inflowing here, that are prevailing in many parts of India and world at large. Our railway station need be declared 'Beggar Free Zone' and necessary drastic measures be set-up at any cost, like special task force or Anti-beggar force or whatever.

Without properly heeding ecology, topography and its aftermaths, project and mining activities shouldn't be consented or initiated. Furthermore, deprivation of constitutionally valid rights, then made struggle unnecessarily investing peoples' time, resources, blood, lives and vital energies in innumerable cases- say some; statehood demand, language inclusion, repeal AFSPA, Indigenous protection issues; proper justice for extra-judicial killings, inhumane torture, rapes and extortions, etc. continues to wreak havoc compounding directly or indirectly on masses and states over-all development.

Recent 300 odd army officers' Supreme Court move is a sort of blatant confession yet desperate cry to condone their illegal actions and misused of power by ironically evoking security and integrity of nation should atop constitution.

7) False projections, discrimination and abuses for racially different or different food-style and lifestyle justifies the much-uttered step-motherly treatment and prejudices towards us. OH! Less MP. Hollow is thy Unity in Diversity! And pathetically, pliable and shabby-genteel nature of State govt. at different periods and episodes have also its lion's share of timidity, submissiveness and impotent-patriotism.

Problems of trafficking and smugglings need to be tackled with efficient and fair measure starting right from law-enforcing officials themselves is the opinion of hoi polloi. Lack of judiciousness and incompetency of the govts. have been the norm if not always.

8) We as citizens, still hope against hope that association of politics with favouritism, charlatanism, deceptive and hypocritical traits need to be promptly ceased at the earliest for the betterment of motley of deficits at present and naturally future generations to come if digested with vision the pros and cons in any of your passive or active moves. Probable? Impossible? Reflecting yourselves the pragmaticalness of Patriotic-day and public speeches, leadership responsibility decide the answer.

In many of these issues; masses, Meira paibis, civil societies and clubs, human rights groups, student and various organisations, effective JACs have played a great role of patriotism even though there is lapse of patriotism and bravery from political leaders and concerns. Also, we can't deny, lot of black sheep and imposters are strewing, being part of this society if we are to speak of ground realities.

I hazarded a lot of scattered guess, suspicions, insinuations, possibilities and doubts which stink to hold on and majorly are of macabre nature but lace through us magically in daydreams and nightmares for events and incidents sharply dented and etched in our memory, psyche, emotions and relationships; may be such that through digesting, understanding, unravelling and exploring collectively and responsibly evolve to find solutions.

Taking resolute stands on this Patriots' Day or before the vibe ends atleast, of these alarming present situations will the time come to dissolve and root out those avoidable or unnecessary lot of loads, which is what bravery and love for people and land is about. It's time we asked ourselves and brave out the necessities and possibilities in tune with the present.

So too the case for many dear compatriots who celebrate and adore patriotism to take unflinching stand and resolution, apart from celebration and narrating historic moments only! Won't that be the needful tribute for Patriots' Day celebration? Therefrom and henceforth, days ahead invite us the clarion call to sustain and show the patriotic readiness.

Generally Ivory-tower Commemoration Ways

Just commemoration sake-like without substantial considering of present day enemies and threats, lacking currently contextual ideas and discourses with fitting relevant applications highlight something of now-generation and some-back, scarcity of much needed commensurate patriotic spirit and zeal taught by our patriots whom we revered. Many celebration are of ritual-esque and monotonous whereby political rhetoric, redundant anecdotes and stories are parroted.

Appears strongly 'complacent just', remain proud-pleased as we are their descendants and pass on the celebration by investing time, money and energy mostly on programmes that induced only fantasies, projections and 'old is always gold kind' that too filled with redundant hindustani-based songs as a contagious norm in many venues, concomitantly amounts to unsafe conceits. Don't want to bring in those celebrated names of hindustani-music-based 'old is gold' tag fellows.

No doubt, beautiful lyrics enormous but highly hindustani -based reflects the image of their times-- influenced and dear adoption, also themselves were/are part in perpetrating the hegemony of alien culture and music. What consequential influences has penetrated deep in our conscious and unconsciousness in many art-forms and films can't be another secerned story.

Does it sound reclusive and conservative or of question of identity crises? What has happen has happened regardless of varied perspectives. Ok let's cut short considering music is universal and they were globalized ahead!

Unmissably and very unfortunately, any of 3O-plus communities' folk or indigenous music and songs hardly accentuated except some few Leiteng-thangs and Ta-khousarol, which are taken for granted by majority because of the ways of presentation without inculcating the philosophies and spiritualties involved to the intended audience due negligence or ignorance in effectively organising which we see as a norm ubiquitous in many celebrations, praying if not all.

Another thing whether important or not is for readers to decide, why should we loan words when we have precise vocabularies? Mention can be made of Bir, Neta, Pandit, Shahid Minar, etc. Whether you like/accustom or not, we have ample vocabularies to express them say Athoubarel, Luchingpurel, Lamjinglen, Maichou, Mainou, Athou-Yumbiren/Khubmlen, etc.

We have already and also many can coin indigenous punching vocabularies to replace them. For more information, I don't meant to say we can translate, coin or have better or sufficient words in advance or now for any discipline. Who can replace Phanek-mayek naibi, Singju, etc. exactly in other language with suffice, similarly we better not attempt in case of others' origin which we don't have at all before, say graphene, robot, Hubble-constant, many scientific terms, etc.

Explaining and interpreting is another matter. If I am not mistaken, language evolve by importing what we don't have but not at the cost of replacing what we already have precisely. Ignorance, habits and certain indulgences and influences plays humongous role in moulding certain unwanted vortex.

Learning other languages is not an issue but boasting, replacing or unnecessary substitution or sometimes even out of ignorance is unhealthy. Exchange, interaction and globalisation has its beautiful side but we can't always go on imitating, importing or neglecting our roots or assets for certain impulses. What props-up our patriotic pride and bravery today as descendants of those patriots?

Just to mention a few- 1891 Anglo-Manipuri war, Nupi-Lals, Gaidinglui & Jadonang Resistances, Kuki-Rebellion, etc. are our remarkable incidents that continue to imbibe, impart and motivate eliciting us to continue and go beyond those legacies of patriotism whenever demanded and required, for more visionary extra miles. Often, isn't it fair to be suspicious or umbrageous at our govt. in the prevailing atmosphere and certain episodes?

To be continued...