NGO Director rape case: NE population can never be part of mainstream Indian society

Ninglun Hanghal *

Map of North East region, India :: Pix - TSE

In his interaction with a few NE youths recently, a friend of Rita (name changed) from Manipur said that, unlike any other Northeasterner in Delhi, Rita made friends with the "mainlanders" and that she does not just stick to her "own community" or NE community alone. The young activist friend who was volunteering with Rita during the Uttarakhand flood relief work said " Rita made a lot of effort to learn Hindi and even wrote her statement in Hindi". He recall that Rita was very friendly and very close to her colleagues in the NGO she was employed.

True to this, when Rita shared her ordeal to her 'mainland' friends they do not know any NE community to seek for advice or speak to, confessed the young friend. Rita was regarded as one among them, at least among her few young "mainland" friends.

Rita was allegedly raped by her superior in Mid September last year. The accused Mr Khursid Anwar, Director of an NGO – Institute for Social Democracy (ISD) subsequently committed suicide after an FIR was registered by the South Delhi Police. Reportedly, according to the late Anwar's friends he committed suicide following defamation on social media and Television telecast of the woman's statements which they termed "media trail". The Late Anwar's friends, including his wife took up the case of 'defamation' and abetment to suicide'. Several campaigns for 'justice' for the accused have also been initiated.

Like any typical rape case, it was not easy for Rita to "speak out the incident' or to immediately go to the police. She shared her terrible ordeal to her superiors, whom she was known to be very close in her workplace in the NGO, but was reportedly discouraged for whatever reasons they have.

The much needed support and encouragement came from her young friends, who ran from pillar to post trying to find the 'right people" and to seek advice. The young friends and Rita lands at the door of Madhu Kishwar, Founder of Manushi and Professor at CSDS, whose popular name they are familiar with. Hearing them out and observing Rita and her young inexperienced friends Kishwar helped them to put down the allegations statement "on record" which she rightly believes would be their legal standing in which ever direction or course they pursue . She also directed them to meet a lawyer.

Moreover, in an attempt to garner strength, support (though inexperienced these young chaps knew very well that they are treading into a real big fight against a powerful NGO Director) the young friends shared the matter to Kavita Khrishnan, another popular face in the country, who need no introduction.

Khrishan is someone who is very familiar with the NGO – ISD. Instead of "taking up the matter" in whatever way possible expected of a person like her, her help came in the form of identifying and informing a "NE woman activist" based in Delhi. Her effective intervention, no doubt, comes in terms of informing the NGO-ISD Board members as well. Quite powerful, the Board members conducted an "internal inquiry" comprising of the members within the ISD fraternity! Surely, the NGO, supposedly campaign for justice and 'women empowerment" do not have any mechanism to deal with "sexual harassments in workplace".

Already two months had passed and the ISD Board members were looking for Rita in Delhi and even in her home state, Manipur stating that they need to take forward the matter. The letter sent to Rita in late November stated that the Board members needed her to "affirm and stand by her statement" which is already available with them. The board members comprise of renowned women rights activist and NGO thinkers such as Mohammad Azhar, Purva Bhardwaj, Jayant Kumar, Kalyani Menon Sen, Juhi Jain, Sarita Chuahan

Through networks, like-minded NGOs and activist available in Delhi and Manipur the Board members made attempt to contact Rita. NGOs and activist connected with ISD from Delhi and Manipur intervene, "in their own possible way", either helping in contacts and subsequently keeping in touch with Rita at her home ground by local activist.

As it stands, for many people (including the NE community) the rape case was found to be complicated and complex, a typical term used in matters dealing with North East India.

In deed, the matter and allegations of rape by a Manipuri woman against a superior has taken a socio-political twist and turn, with counter accusations, counter defense, legal and political gender correctness of/ on "rape". And all this happens not in the Court of Law, but in campus meetings, press conferences, media releases, articles and face book.

As Rita's young "mainland" friend stated, the Manipuri woman has been trying "desperately" to be one among the "mainland activist" even to the extent of befriending only "non NE" people in Delhi . She trusted them, she lives, eat with them, she loves them. She look up to "mainland" women activist as her role model. Even taking lead role in protest against rape ( now infamous Dec 16) in Delhi. But when 'misfortune' befell her, the famous "Indian" women rights activist and women leaders, including Indian men Activist and NGOs representatives, were all on their toes looking for a "Northeast women activist in Delhi " to take care of their sister's problem. The identification of NE activist hunting went down till Manipur. Many activists associated with ISD and its Board members are finding ways to contact NE women activist in Delhi and further to Manipur .

The 'naked" truth hit us hard (the NE women to be specific) right on our face.

The fact remains, and will always remain that when rape incidents happens and the accused a "mainland" and the victim from North East states, the attitude and treatment altogether took a different turn. Arguments, defense pour in for the accused unlike any other rape cases in Mainland India, where we don't hear or know of any popular public defense of a rape accused.

While the legal case will take its own course, this "NGO Director case" has once again reaffirmed that North East populations cannot and will never be an integral part of the mainstream society in Mainland India.