Lemyao Shimray
How many of us still remember Leishichon Shaiza? About the horrifying story of 13 August 2005, in broad daylight, where two young Naga women were attacked in Colaba, Mumbai reportedly with a butcher’s knife by a man named Uzer Patel. Are we Naga fellows to forget that Leishichon Shaiza was killed, while Ngakuimi Raleng was critically injured? Are we supposed to forget this incident again as we have forgotten many buried injustice? Will this incident again be another defeated story and written down among many unnamed murders?
Several features of the incident are, at the very least, regrettable. Some can be called a great deal worse. And it is you, me, we that have to decide and time to urge the Government of India and Maharashtra to give the right verdict and judgement. It is time to show for the Indian government that their fundamental and human rights under Indian Constitution that has been taught in schools were true and happening, time for the Maharashtra government to show that atleast gender discrimination is not an issue in Mumbai as is in Delhi where all the parents and guru of fundamental rights weaved their magic wand and let things happen.. But alas! Can we still hope for the justice under the Indian law where all, the administrator are working hand in glove to shield the murderer?
First, just two people from the crowd milling around the Gateway came forward to help the young women who had been attacked in this savage manner. One of them, Salil Deshpande, aged 22, said later that the photographers and news channels present were concerned only with recording the happening and did nothing to help the young women.
Second, the Government of Maharashtra, acting through its police, has been attempting to shield Patel by describing him as a psychopath, as insane and so on. If he is a psychopath why is he roaming freely among the tourist crowd? And even when there is confession proof from his father who filed an FIR for attempt to murder that morning, what were the police of Maharashtra doing? Are we supposed to take it that all the accused filed for an attempt to murder in Maharashtra is set free for almost 7 hours?
And yet till now there has been no serious investigation into this gruesome crime by Maharashtra government. Is there any hope that we can have justice? What if the verdicts that will be heared on 28th of August become just another case with no trial for years?
Third, the press has toed the government’s line: it too has called the murderer insane. The merciless attitude and inhuman act shown by Star news with its full coverage of the incident filming the poor girl agony till her death is shocking and disgusting. While the media was broadcasting live national news trying to earn public attention and fame, Leishichon was still struggling for her life, she was very much alive but still the media were busy. For them it was like shooting a Bollywood picture.
Their thirst for fame could have been mended even after helping her to be admitted to the hospital instead of their barbaric act. If their cowardness and reluctant to save her was because of all the Mumbai gangster and Don then, at the first place they have no rights to be in media. The Media which are suppose to be the voice of truth, where is it today? I challenge all the media to correct me if I am wrong.
Fourth, the incident happen on a spot police should have prevented. The Gateway of India is a prominent landmark where police are always present. And according to PTI picture shown, next to the lying body of Leishichon on the left side the presence of police are everyday seen. What happen that day to make them disappear? Is it a co-incidence?
It is said that Uzer Patel killed one Naga woman and injured the other because they had distinct racial features which can be Arunachalese, Sikkimese, Nagas or Manipuris of North East and that by his act he wished to become known in India and in the world. If this is true, he cannot have thought of them as Indians like himself.
It makes nonsense of the constantly repeated “unity in diversity” slogan. And why Nagas? Why not the other tourist who have blonde hair or are Caucasian white if, his attempt is to be known famous in the world? Or those black race which are swarming every where in Colaba? I wonder if there is any more hidden agenda and excuses other then that had been confessed by Patel or has been known as confessed through media and police.
In a significant way this was echoed by the newspapers which described Leishichon Shaiza and Ngakuimi Raleng as Manipuris, when in fact they hailed from Ukhrul district, a Naga area in the North-east of the present Manipur State. To such newspapers the two young women were in effect foreigners, since they came from an amorphous region whose different peoples were lumped together in a single undifferentiated category. Are we suppose to doubt the Maharashtra government and even Indian Government that this is another deeper scheme weaved? It will come to no surprise in future after knowing the history of Kashmiri women framed and killed and thousands of political prisoners in Tihar jail in India. The deceased were innocent people killed in innocent situation staged as unfortunate with always deeper agenda.
The families of the two young women feel grief, and the Naga people feel grief, for obvious reasons. But should not India as a whole and Maharashtra in particular also feel ashamed about what happened? Women were shown to have been unsafe in a crowded area in broad daylight. The people around just looked on for the whole 15 minutes while Leishichon Shaiza struggle for her life as if at a spectacle meant to entertain.
The administration, spreading canards, shuffled away from its responsibilities. The press, by implication, declared the entire North-East to be not a part of India. The RSS also plays an important role in promoting this hatred and hostile attitude towards the Northeast people. One of the few instance, is the pamphlet distributed (right after the Duala Kuan raped case) in the Delhi University stating that “The Northeast Christian Women are here to seduce the Indians wearing vulgar dress”. The meaning behind is that there is no harm in raping the Northeast Women.
Three basic questions arise. Can India, in such circumstances, be described as a nation? Can its people be described as civilised? If proper justice were not done can we forgive the murderer deeds and forgive the Indians back in North East?
Where are all this leading? Is this another Game plan from India and Maharashtra Governments claiming it as just another unfortunate incident?
