Molestation charge against SAI coach
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: July 28, 2014 -

Keeping alive the name and fame of their State, Manipuri women weightlifters and Judo players have once again made everyone (including people of the mainland who have an aversion towards people with Mongoloid looks and features) proud with their stupendous performance in India’s medal haul at the ongoing 20th edition of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Following the footsteps of N Kunjarani Devi and Sanamacha Chanu, who are truly trendsetters in the sports of women’s weightlifting not only in Manipur but also in India by winning many medals in the past editions of the Games, Sanjita Khumukcham lifted 173 kg (77+96), while Mirabai Chanu Saikhom tagged close behind with a total lift of 170 kg (75+95) in the women’s 48 kg category to give India its first gold and silver medal respectively on the opening day of the 2014 Commonwealth Games on Thursday.

Of course, there was nothing surprising in the gold and silver medal winning performance of the two young Manipuri women in the ongoing Games.

After all, Sanjita is a 2012 Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship gold medallist as well as a 2011 Asian Championships bronze medallist while Mirabai collected three gold medals at the 2013 Commonwealth Championships 2013 besides a silver at the 2014 Asian Junior Championships and three bronze medals at the 2013 World Junior Weightlifting Championships.

Not to be outdone by the women weightlifters from the State or left out from sharing the limelight, two more Manipuri women athletes, namely Shushila Likmabam and Kalpana Thoudam went on to claim the silver and the bronze medals respectively for India in the 48 kg and 52 kg category of Judo competition, also on day one of the 20th Commonwealth Games.

What was really appreciative in the sporting feats of the four Manipuri women athletes was that their impressive showing at the international multi-sport event involving 6,500 athletes from 71 Commonwealth Nations and considered to be the fourth largest sporting event in the world, after the Olympic Games, the Asian Games, and the Maccabiah Games, has come at a time when renewed concern over growing hate crimes against people of Northeast is growing following the latest incident of brutal attack on a young man from Manipur at the National capital.

With media giving full coverage and praising them, everyone hope that their sporting feats would help in bringing about the much needed attitudinal change among the people in the rest of the country from looking upon people from Northeast, more particularly women living in the metropolitan cities like Delhi for study or work as some sort of object for teasing and taunt.

In such a situation, it was really unfortunate to learn that five female athletes who are currently undergoing training at Sports Authority of India (SAI), Takyelpat have charged their coach with molestation and forcing them to take measurement wearing only the bare minimum in his presence.

The authorities concerned should look into the matter for taking up necessary action so as not to dishearten and discourage more and more Manipuri women athletes from living up to their dream of podium finish performance and contribute their mite towards not just in the medal haul for India at various International sporting competitions but also in fighting against the menace of hate crimes within the country.