Repeating Freedom Struggle

Pukhrambam Boboi *

64th Indian Republic Day celebration at Imphal, Manipur on 26 January 2013 :: Pix - Amo Koijam

26th January

Once again the mainland India would celebrate and our North-East Region would mourn.

Scholars and Researchers do well say that money is not the option for the Centre to ease the political, economic and social conflict of North-East with the Centre and the mainland India. But time and again the Centre has been trying to provide monetary benefits in order to provide artificial happiness to the residents of North-East. This, in fact, has created a different mind frame on others to prejudice that North-East people are all dependent on the Centre and the Centre's funding without which they cannot survive.

"Kisi Se Unka Kheti Cheenke Aur Usse Daana Daana Tarsa Ke, Fir Ussi Bhuke Ko Khana Khila Ke Apna Jai Jai Kaal Karwao !!!".

That means snatch the farmer's field and make the starving farmer cry and beg for a handful of rice and then provide him and his family the meal so that he shall bow and praise you and depend on you throughout the lifetime – Well, this was during zamindari system in earlier days, but we cannot deny the fact that our NER is currently undergoing that phase with the Centre making us habituated with fundings and subsidies every now and then, and that's where the Centre holds the Trump-card. As a matter of fact, the Centre's fundings and subsidies are provided across the whole country, but the question is, why it is given a different look and meaning when the same comes to our NER.

My friends from mainland India often ask me the same question every now and then.

"Why is that during Independence Day and Republic Day the entire seven states of NER declare bandh and boycott the celebration?"

In response I ask the same question to them. WHY?

But they are never able to provide the answer. Then and there I would reply them saying, "To get a reply to that question, u need to understand the indigenous people of NER through the core of their heart and mind. Once you understand them you would get the answer on your own."

26th January being observed as a BLACK DAY in Manipur, Manipur and the citizens of NER very well defies the so called Republican context of the Indian Constitution which has no effect on the indigenous people of NORTH-EAST. As usual, even this year, the Republic Day would be boycotted in Manipur by various bodies and citizens. Similarly, a bandh is also being called in Assam. Meghalaya also follows the same routine, but unfortunately, with the 26th January falling on Sunday this time, the bandh may not be declared in Meghalaya, for Sunday is the day of the Holy Christ.

Forceful colonisation of the North-East with India is what the Hue and Cry is going on all about in North-East. And that still continues. The Government's recent threat note through ZEOs (Zonal Education Officers) to Government Schools in Manipur to ensure compulsory and forceful participation during Republic Day Celebration by sending march-past contingent is a very well example of forceful colonisation. Maoist Communist Party, Manipur has boycotted the forceful participation and has therefore called a 12-hour general strike on Jan 26.

All these and various other aspects have laid a fear psychosis among the non-indigenous, especially the non-tribal immigrants of NER (be it illegal or non-illegal) who have been staying for years, making them fearful about their own fate if at all NER be parted out of India. Where do they go is what they often ask us and themselves as well.

Now various questions frequently arise in our mind. Is the freedom struggle repeating again? Would there be another civil-disobedience and non-cooperation movement as few citizens of North-east and states like Meghalaya and Nagaland have already started? Would there be another air-strike on the citizens by their own Central Government as it happened in Mizoram earlier?

Would that air-strike be repeated in not one or two states but in the entire seven states of North-East? Is our indigenous generation becoming extinct day by day? Is India following the concept of Myanmar's Burmanising process of all the valid citizens and thus, the Centre is finding ways to aryanise our NER and bringing it at par with the mainland, for the Centre is also well aware that the mongoloid people of NER can never mix up with the aryan race of mainland in the long run?