The immature and dirty politics of NSUM

Dr. Thohe Pou *

It is indeed shocking to read the Press Release by the Naga Students' Union, Mumbai (NSUM) on the Mumbai 'attempt to rape' case wherein the name of the victim was published whereas the names of the two culprits were withheld.

The names of the culprits are **** from Ukhrul Dist. and **** from Ukhrul Dist, Manipur. Why did the NSUM publish the name of the victim and withhold the name of the culprits? Under which laws of the land have they referred and publish the victim's name and withhold the name of the culprits?

Their Press Release with the 'Statement Minutes' of the culprits and victim also clearly shows their immaturity and ignorant.

It is an insult and an embarrassment to the intellect of the entire Naga community. Should our society turn a blind eye to it? Not every traumatized girl has the courage to stand up bravely for her right but when this brave girl decided to stand for her right, little could she have imagined the outcome and the resultant shame and insult she'd face.

It is a great humiliation to the women folk, when this girl wake up and stand for her rights – the Naga students and educated seniors in Mumbai who were involved in this case have suppressed the voice of this poor girl.

Molestation and eye teasing are considered a serious law and order issue in India. Sadly for the Nagas in Mumbai, especially the student community, even an attempt to rape a woman is a frivolous matter.

Was it because she did not happen to be your blood sister or, sorry to say this but, not from your own tribe?

The culprits' intention to rape the girl was very clear from the beginning and during the interrogation the culprits admitted their guilt. Against such heinous crime how could the NSUM consider Rs 4000/- a fair compensation?

Is that the price they put on our Naga sisters' honor? And how serious is the punishment of sending a 'remarks letter' to the culprit's churches and parents? Do the criminals care at all about that? Will the NSUM accept Rs 4000/- from the culprits if one of the Naga girls is attempted to rape by a non-Naga in Mumbai?

Why the NSUM did not take her to Police Station to lodge FIR? If we are to cover up the culprits' mistakes and condemn the victim, where do we the Nagas are heading to?

Punishment to the culprits should be the same whether it is within our community or with people outside our community. Will the NSUM have the moral rights to lodge FIR now when the non-Naga attempts to rape the Naga women?

It is alleged by victim that she was forced not to lodge FIR after giving her statement to the police in Mumbai as she was threatened by culprits' friend, and out of fear, she did not do file the FIR in the police station.

Don't you think that the first thing the NSUM should have done was help the victim lodge the FIR instead of taking this case in their hands and trying to act as judge and arbiter?

Is NSUM actually equipped to function as a court? And can it dispense justice in a case such as this? The evidence tells otherwise. What was the main reason why NSUM did not extend its full help to this unfortunate girl?

Considering the above mentioned facts and allegation, I strongly condemn the NSUM for not taking the responsibility to help the victim and also publishing victim's name publicly to malign her image.

With their immaturity and partiality in dealing the case, the NSUM have embarrassed the whole Naga community. On this moral ground, the NSUM should dissolve the Union immediately to avoid bringing more embarrassment in the future to other Naga Students' Union and the Nagas people as a whole.