AFSPA took my father

Birkarnelzelzit Thiyam *

"My name is Jonny," I told him. The rain pushed me to repeat myself to break the loudness. He nodded on knowing my name at the second time, said nothing thereafter but to create a continuity, I broke with, "What's yours?"

Before he hears my interrogative-response, he ran as he saw his father coming to pick him up after the boring 2 hours maths tuition. Saw his father talking loud but wasn't good enough to catch my ears but just my eyes.

Surprise intrigued me, his father rushed down from his car, came straight towards me, his steps said something loud that he got some urgent message for me or he just was looking for toilet, I mean it was raining and he was already wet so it won't be obvious even if he pours over his pants.

"I heard there was some shooting a little while ago and the government will be imposing curfew soon," his words never frightened me, might be because I was from Manipur and that was nothing new. "Oh! My dad will be here soon, I will be home soon," I responded.

"Okay then," he bid farewell and there I stood, looking at them going away and looking for my hero to come soon. Then I planned of going a little further and wait near the banyan tree for my dad as it had the deeper view of the straight road.

I waited, every beam of light ray seems like my dad's ACTIVA, I felt so lonely, a teen of 15 years was not so strong to fight the dark, so I started walking home, towards the everyday direction hoping I could meet my dad on the way. From far, I could hear public announcement of staying indoors as the area was imposed with curfew. But choice left me no choice but to walk through the no-choice road.

Sometimes, the most unexpected thing happens in the most unexpected moment. Life always make fun of those simple ones. There I was trying to pass through the mixture of both state and central forces. An army came up to me and asked me to drop my bag, nervousness obeyed him, then was called and told to tell who I am and why I was there.

Had I got an option, never would I have come to cross, then I told everything for my untimely visit.

The rain became thicker again, an officer instructed his buddies to head their vehicle to the south for some reason. That's when life made me think if I have to go on or give up. When the vehicle turned, the head lights presented me a gift; I saw my father's ACTIVA at the side, badly scratched and broken.

I sprang up, "That's my father's ACTIVA," I yelled with everything, the officer held me tight, but he was late, I saw the shirt, the shirt I chose on last New Year for my hero, the shirt he won't even let anyone touch, that shirt was lying at the side of the road. I was dreaming, even more wanted and wished it was a dream. I knew why my dad was late, he was lying lifeless there.

"Why?" I shouted, louder than the thunder, louder than guns, but the situation muted me. "We told him to stop his ACTIVA but he wouldn't listen," that pity reason negotiated with the loss of my hero.

Anger made me an animal, losing the one I cannot have made me heartless, tears made me blind, I PUNCHED the officer. He understood but his understanding won't bring back my loss. I summoned everything to make a move and rushed for my creator, blood everywhere, the one who goes to doctor even for a scratch was lying answerless.

My head became dizzy, my weak heart and brain took me from consciousness to sub-consciousness, "What to do now, sir?" I heard someone saying before I close. "Don't worry, this is why I love AFSPA," he giggled.

Before I knew the next, I went to sleep, that's all I could remember. I narrated everything to the police sub-inspector, three days after the incident. "You know, these things will keep happening in the disturbed areas and what happened was legal" "Who is disturbing whom? They are disturbing us and you … coward, and what do you mean by legal, don't you hell think that's against article 21 – right to live, are you scared?" I slammed the table. Days and years rolled but, it still exists in our very soil.

Before this reality comes to your door, before AFSPA takes someone you love, let's all join hands to put an end to this.