The Grammar of Protests

By Seram Neken *

Two crusaders : Anna Hazare and Irom Sharmila - Pix :: Sangai Express

"The implementation of Manipur land revenue and land reforms act uniformly in both the hills and valley areas will enable to bring peaceful co-existence among the various communities of the state in the long run. It is time to explore possibilities of inter-mingling of population, reduce polarization and improve emotional ties among the people.

At this hour of protests and counter protests, people of Manipur as a whole need to raise its voice for implementation of Manipur land revenue and land reforms act in the hills for a better unity in diversity conceptualization. Let the valley dwellers be allowed to settle in the hills as well." – Writes Seram Neken

Is there any Nagas' land, Meiteis' land, Kukis' land, Pangals' land or so and so in Manipur ? No doubt, Manipur has been a composition of diverse and various groups of communities from times immemorial.

Due to the tactful divide and rule policy of the alien religious propagators of the past, the British rulers and Indian government later, there has been polarization among the different communities staying in Manipur. The kaleidoscopic beauty of the state is in jeopardy at present with the broken emotional blending among the major groups.

The implementation of Manipur land revenue and land reforms act uniformly in both the hills and valley areas will enable to bring peaceful co-existence among the various communities of the state in the long run. It is time to explore possibilities of inter-mingling of population, reduce polarization and improve emotional ties among the people.

At this hour of protests, people of Manipur as a whole need to raise its voice for implementation of Manipur land revenue and land reforms act in the hills for a better unity in diversity conceptualization. Let the valley dwellers be allowed to settle in the hills as well.

Blockades and counter blockades have hit the people of the state with utmost inconveniences to a great extent. The state government has assured to address the demands for formation of new districts with a District Re-organisation Commission and sought a breather for three months so as to amicably sort out the issue.

It is just and imperative for the government to re-organise the district boundaries or form new districts wherever necessary as per the criteria of population, territory, transport and communication facilities, administrative conveniences and constitutional provisions. Communal and ethnic polarization has nothing to do with districts formation in such a multi-ethnic state.

Moreover, taking advantage of being along the national highways for pressing demands again and again is irrational and inhumane under any circumstance. National highways should be set free of all protests as they serve the people of the land. Other ways of demonstrations may be explored and executed.

Amidst the long pending protests for removal of draconian AFSPA and the district demands agitations in Manipur, Anna Hazare has come to occupy front-pages of local dailies of the state. No wonder, Anna Hazare team invited Irom Chanu Sharmila to join its protest against corruption and the Iron Lady has befitting reply to the Hazare team.

The strikers whom politicians, media persons and the intellectuals are attentive to or glorify most, are considered as strong revolutionaries fighting for the people's cause. If Sharmila were fasting against corruption and if Hazare were protesting for removal of AFSPA, which of the two issues the nation would have paid more attention to ?

If Sharmila hailed from mainland India and if Hazare happened to be a native of Manipur, the vice versa of what is being addressed by the government might have happened. Let us examine the importance of the two causes between corruption and human rights, and let us compare the personalities of Sharmila and Hazare.

Personality cult seems to out-do the issues. Sharmila has readily extended her support to the cause of Hazare's protest following the latter's invitation to join him. However, it is lamentable that the nation has not responded to the call of Irom Chanu Sharmila for over ten years.

Great personalities are created where there is respect for human values. The dignity the British attached to Gandhiji as a freedom fighter helped him gain the fame worldwide and glorify his non-violence.

Had MK Gandhi been born in a place like Manipur or had he undergone his protests against a government such as that of today's Manipur, Gandhiji's non-violence would not have gained its fame and popularity, and he would not have been recognized as the father of the nation. Indifference of the rulers might have jeopardized his cause half-way or he might have ended his life in the bullets of mindless security people of this land.

Sharmila has now become a symbol of peace, in the true sense of the term. She has earned the reputation of having the strongest will and heart for protection of human rights around the globe. She is not a mere striker, but a model of truth and justice.

Gandhijis non-violence has been glorified by her personality in the twenty first century. It is not politically motivated and her demands represent the general will of the hapless people residing amidst the draconian laws of democratic India. In spite of neglects and indifference of the rulers for more than a decade, she never goes back.

The national media is highly discriminatory as did the government and political parties at the national level in regard to the dual cases of Sharmila and Hazare. Both strikers have been fighting for the social good, both have been following the non-violent means of fasting.

However, Sharmila has almost crossed a decade of fasting, while Hazare's appearance on the scene is quite recent as compared to the former. However, the national media have been disproportionately viewing the two protests.

Intensity of the protests and the causes themselves have to be considered in balance while reporting to the people and drawing government's attention.