Lets recriminate crime not human lives

James Bellcoffj *

This is my maiden venture to this subtle and sublime paraphernalia(read e-pao) which I believe is subject to-also entrusted with- the augmented(at times) dissemination of variable and affable notions of comrades from Manipur(read other states from NE India). And, I must channelise my views to the fact that the reviews, posts, essays, opinions and other forms of established writings here(read e-pao.net) not only forms a conducive and innocuous basis for an unacquainted visitor(read to e-pao) but buttress to have him/her opine about verdures of this glorious and culturally replete state of our country.

Apropos of the writings and essays(by memebers of/and contributors to e-pao) I have had an opportunity to rummage through, some of them exude the vivid idealisation and formulation of paramount hopes the denizen of this region of our country has, for the betterment of Manipur(no brownies for guessing). Though the ideas are quite vivid, well opined and rendered to thoughtfulness, there is a congregation of ideas that subtly proscribe to 'isolationism'. Which, I believe must have emanated from-for instance:
"bias against our countrymen from NE, dehumanisation of the regional and cultural identity of our countrymen from from NE region, and the ramapant visualisation of so called steadfast 'Indian male' with a maligned penetrating eye for the woman of this region."

No offence intended, but I can smell some gun powder here, since some of the contributors(read e-pao) have a pedagogic declivity towards the youngsters of this society. This not only decimates them from forming a 'panopticon' view of a much larger society(read India) which they are ceratinly a part of, but subsequently impositioned into believing that world(read India here) is only but a congruence of a vicious social and political stooges who are ready to devour them no sooner than they come out of their regional echelons.

One wise man once said, "Don't count for the hawks that eye you, instead look for the doves which are with you, and you won't be a duck anymore, and if you don't find one(dove) be an eagle and there would be no hawks."

I know this writing is becoming an amalgamtion of preponderance of various ideas and issues of unrest but if I may render to those who are stil frozen with the notion of receding and staying aloof - courtesy being vioalated and mutilated - I urge and humbly request there is no warmth unless the ice is broken. It will not only freeze and fog our brains but leave us unfathomed, vacuous and invisible that some alien force would reap the rich dividends of the few seeds of venom and hatred sown by some illicit cowards of our own country.

Insurgency in the NE region is one of the prime driving force for making it an embodient of social and political unrest, but the states like J&K where terror stikes at the drop of a needle, or Bihar, MP, Andhra Pradesh- where Maoist, regional and seperatist groups are tasting blood of there own fellows- are no different either. Well,when the chord is struck, why keep the world in hindsight.

I wonder if it evokes mirth or a sense of solitary confinement to the readers that in US- the ever emboldening super power- a New Yorker can rebuff a Texan doppleganger as a bucolic embodiment of some rustic pasturage (blame the Sand hills , Stockton plateau, desert valleys, woody mountains etc). Though the Texan, might rebuff him too, but will not have him recriminated for his(Texan) being dehumanised and made victim of a regional identity crisis.

Because he is quite synchronised with the idea of America not as a nation state but a conglomerate of 50 states, with each having the tag of an American state. He would be as soliloquised in his Texan garb as proud he would be in his being an American.(Read that out of 50 states, english is the official language of only 28 states in USA, and rest are free to use Sanish and other dialects, but they prefer English)

In India(read Delhi)- many of my comrades have highlighted the instances of imbecile and heinous crime against women of NE region, their being referred as of holding easy virtues.

Come on, lets come of age, a mind at unrest and vile intention can violate any woman no matter how graceful she looks wrapped in a nine yard saree or if it evokes provocation(as men say) in culottes, or hipsters. Women no doubtlook beautiful, when dressed elegantly or in a western outfits- but our society wears a diaphanous garb of conservationism and is such a derelict that it makes those poor girls more an inviting piece of pie than an embodiment of beauty and grace, whereas on the contrary the male is always left to garner the fruits uninhibited.

And as Simon de Beauvoir quotes:
"No one is more arrogant toward women, more aggressive or scornful, than the man who is anxious about his virility" clearly indicates what I intend to say.

And that holds water not only for the girls from NE but for any other part of the country. Freedom of speech, expression and individual freedom is a diktat of the constitutation, its not prone to vulgarity. There is a very thin line between vulgarity and openness and being cognizant of the society one must be mindful of the same.

Diktats being issued on dress codes and moral policing of the youth from this region, and recriminating them of harboring an immoral affirmation against the society.

No doubt these acts are dastardly committed by some highly unstable pernicious minds, replete with vile manifestations not against a person as a whole but the entire society. And such a threat must not be allowed to perpetrate at any cost- but alas! the one too many lacunae in our police and social system stand guard against these inhuman perpetrators, whereas they must be severely punished and extrictated.

But should we just not see as heinous a crime being committed against and not an entire state being marginalised against itself by some miscreants? A modicum morsel of thoughtfulness is anticipated here.

The endeavour behind is to visualise the idea that Delhi is not a state yet, so one can be asserted as a native of this city only by the virtue of being born here, or having been living here for a considerable time. And the term Delhiite is only colloquial(and doesn't imbue any national hue as per the Constitution). So a Thockchom is as much a Delhiite as a Sharma is, and a Mishra can hold as much revolutionry idea for the betterment of Manipur as a a Haokip can rack his brain for bringing a reform in our educational system.

Unnumerable people get marauded, robbed off, molested in Delhi(its no boast for a city which has been apprised with the responsibilty of hosting of Commonwealth Games, and I deplore the fact and the police authorities for this), but a major chhunk of those incidents are unheard, untold, unseen behind a diaphanius curtain of unwavering eyes because they woudn't mean good fodder for the news hungry puppet media. Needless to say in a city of 14 million, only 1 or 2% people are from NE, and the city is home to people from rest of the parts of the country.

The crux of the matter as, Delhi as a city may be termed as criminal, but lets not recriminate the good samaritans there with the Frankensteins of the society, because we are the force that can make a city what it is, and since we are both the host and guest,a fewer amends will only play possum. Corporatisation this will leave us to unsteady quarters.

And let them taste the soil, who believe of themselves as the proprietor of the proscenium of the society whereas they perpetrate by giving factitious diktats and exhortation and decimating the unfurling young brigade of our country.

And as Eugen d Vebbs once said, "I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth, and I am a citizen of the world."

And to the sorority Einstein said : Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them!

And I reiterate to my brothers and sisters from NE, you are not an itinerant here, this is your own city, your own land. If you feel deprived or strangled seek or snatch your right to justice as you would have done in your place of birth. If I bring to your notice, in Univ. of Delhi alone, ther are few students who are from Delhi. Rest of the group forms youngsters from all across the country and our brethrens from NE can be seen in profound sumbers, which makes them a majority.

Young and bright minds from different echelons and pedestals and ethnicities come and compete against each other not because they are representing their regional identities, its simply a system of meritocracy.

We are as proud in Sachin and Sehwag bringing laurels to the country as we are for Mary Kom, Baichung or Dingko Singh. Singju, ironba, ngari and hawaijar is as much a delicacy for me as butter paneer masala or a sundae or some smudges of dimsum(no pun intended). I am a gourmet(Just frolicking)

Before I put to precipitation my maiden voyage to this wonderful platform of exchanges of different realms of ideas, replete with exuberant and resplendent minds, I just want to retrospect, if I may, that our country needs you as much it needs us or as much your state needs you or anyone from other parts of our country. Lets not be victimised anymore.

Lets infuse a little more rationale, and thoughtfulness in our assumptions and let them be founded on a concrete base of information and knowledge and not some unfathomable ghost that might creep in us make us more vulnerable to the perilous monsters of the society.

Isn't it a bigger crime to be a victim??
"Aggressive fighting for the right is the noblest sport the world affords"