Orenthung Kikon
One wonders why there's a continued exodus going on despite the repeated assurances that are being sent out. When I ponder over it, I find that the deep rooted prejudice cannot be weeded out in an instance. All through the years, I've heard from my father, elders and now, we're experiencing it ourselves, from as "trivial" as a queer stare, ridicule, jeer, to remarks on our appearance, habitation, food, the list goes on. One may argue and put it off as we being "unnecessarily too sensitive", that the people naturally has "some curiosity" when they find someone different in their midst. However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a psychologist to decipher whether a behavior exhibited is really out of genuine curiosity or of a prejudicial premeditation. Our Indian society is such that each and every member of it has a complex influence of attributes and identities, and it is from here that men and women are bred to man and run the institutions that are supposed to be based on the ideals of democracy and equality. Thus we're not at all amused when we find preferential treatment being meted out, preferential services being delivered which are of course driven by specific values of those who occupy the institutions whose basic foundation is supposed to be value free. Further, we even consider it to be as a matter of fact, remarking "this is India" to the uninitiated. "Indianization" of whatever that comes into India be it materialistic tangible or the abstract is taken in pride, some even fervently invoking the spirit of nationalism to it; however, it is not something to be proud of when such an "Indianization" breeds apathy as is experienced many a times, especially at premises and enterprises which are government run and usually followed by that remark mentioned earlier.
In such a backdrop, considering the current situation, it is as if smearing salt on the wound. Time and again it has been brought to the fore about the disinterest of the media and the people in general about the state of affairs in the NE region. While the media cites logistical difficulty due to the difficult terrain and deficient infrastructure, the people in general rely on the media for information around, and at the same time, much like their food preference, they want "masala" in the information that is being delivered to them, where TRPs come in. So, while the rest of the country enjoys the fair skinned soap operas after a hard day of smarting the other, the damned forgotten lot in the hills are facing an imminent threat of social annihilation by forces that are external. Thanks to the simple trusting nature of these folks, it is easy, very easy to gain trust and control over, unlike those in the plains, ghats or the peninsula. Livelihoods are being taken over and the powers that be instead of ensuring justice and security that it has been mandated with, chooses to ignore as it sees as a potential investment to stay in "power". Everything has a limit, and when the people had their limits breached to take matters into their own hands, the media as "the torchbearer of truth" steps in to inform the world but intentionally or unintentionally and much to the chagrin to the already marginalized and alienated voiceless tribals, paints the episode with religious hue, of Muslims being persecuted. A coincidence legitimized as the underlining truth, and as mentioned that we Indians are value laden, and some section having an attribute tingled, unleashed their displeasure without attempting to ascertain or rather ignoring the facts. Taking advantage of this melee, some demented sees it as an opportunity to unleash their mischief/frustration that takes an unprecedented turn.
Going by what has been described so far one can inevitably make out that there is indeed a casteist prejudice at play in an average context, and a majority of the NE people are Scheduled Tribes, simply the mention of which evoke detestation to many, if not all. So when a hapless "chinki" or "pahadi" or even "nepali" goes to lodge a complaint at a police station or being a bonafide citizen, to avail a service, it is those who are supposed to protect or render services who subject the remedy or service seeker to more ridicule and humiliation. Women, Scheduled Castes, minorities will very much emphatise with the point that I'm trying to make here. Those at the highest or higher level being more visible and audible may talk in idealistic terms, but it is the actions down there under the pile of bureaucracy which really matters. The government may have provided stringent Acts like Prevention of SC/ST Act for instance to safeguard the vulnerable, but it is the Head Constable or ASI or SI who actually decides whether even a case is to be filed or not despite the evidence. The government sees and speaks in numbers, it is the statistics that matters and as long as no cases are being recorded everything is fine, all are just "rumours". Yes, there are remedial measures for such instances but the procedure is wrought with such elaborate rules that are completely out of the comprehension of an average, semi-literate, unskilled, NE migrant labourer. Of course things would've been simpler and obvious had there been some effort to educate the people, local or non local about the rights and issues, but it is no secret that ignorance fertilizes fear and fear in turn, perpetuates domination. The recent event of Richard Loitam, a student from Manipur being murdered in Bangalore and of Dana Sangma, another student from Meghalaya who committed suicide as a result of prejudicial remark by her Professor, has prompted the Home Ministry to issue directives to all states to ensure the safety of the NE diaspora, strict directions were issued to all the state police to check and prevent victimization of NE people. However, almost 5 months after the directive having been issued, no state government or media has even cared to prominently announce the information to the intended lot. This in itself shows the "sincerity" on the part of the state governments to effectively control the menace of alienation, and it is anybody's wild guess what would be the attitude of the personnel at the local thana or PS where, there is no media coverage, where the SHO or Constable decides the course. Also, it may be mentioned that the attitude of the personnel manning the different institutions, government or private, varies from state to state, region to region and so different people may have different views and experiences. However in the present case, despite the appeals from the highest orders, people are moving away in droves citing apprehensions. Thus questions arise, why aren't the people heeding to the assurances that are being literally given to them at their face? Is it because the government has in the past failed to prove itself as truly non partisan? How could the authorities provide additional trains at such a short notice when it is such a tedious task just to extend the stoppage time at a station? Do the people of the rest of the country and their governments instead of ensuring protection, want the people of NE to be out from their state? Are the people of NE so insignificant as to carelessly issue statements on them, without even attempting to ascertain the reality beyond statistics?
No wonder, a respectable mainstream political leader from the region had once remarked that the people of NE are treated as "second class" citizens; when a leader as his stature could be made to feel and even remark in that manner, the average voiceless NE citizen can nothing be a useless scum! Despite the reservation and the growing number of aspirants, one can see very little number of people from the region getting into the civil services or in central services; it'll be no surprise to find that seeing the attitude of the people around, they start to feel disillusioned. Some may say, there are people from rural areas of other parts of the country going to Delhi, the "Mecca of UPSC aspirants", having sold off their field or property to live in the same condition or even worse, as a Northeasterner. However, what they fail to consider is the social ostracism the NE people face; and being made to feel alienated, unwanted after being cheated is the worst poison for the mind, can be as traumatic as being robbed and raped! It is like a fairy tale when one tries to read about polity of the country, because what's been mentioned in the preamble, in the fundamental rights, the directive principles, appear to be different from what one actually experiences. The feeling of being dominated becomes stronger, when one finds negligible information about the region, be it in Geography, Economy, History, and the region is rarely in the news which is also mostly for the wrong reasons. Such callousness even in the textbooks, further consolidates the misconception of the average mainland Indian for whom North East means "chinki", naked jungle dwellers, football, music, loose girls, "momo" (a Tibetan dish actually, and unknown to most of South India), "nepali" etc...and while it'd be most daunting for a cultured person to ridicule another in public, there is no dearth of such instances especially when the subject, or rather the object is a Northeasterner.
Thus, to the mainland Indians, mere words of assurance won't do to gain the trust of the people; one needs to introspect and acknowledge the simplicity of the people that you are dealing with, and proactive effort taken to inhibit oneself and others around from taking undue advantage of the trust that is being extended. There are some who have been so much ridiculed, ignored, mocked that every single word you utter is a venomous lie! You may think "so what, go to hell!" but before your arrogance takes over, just try to ponder how it feels when you hear that a fellow Indian, or a relative or a loved one is belittled or ridiculed or assaulted in some country across the seas, and how you cry for justice, and also how it is handled by those in authority. Remember, we as Indians carry our religion, our culture in our name, and every religion, culture and even nature upholds humaneness. Gandhian principles does not only mean promoting khadi, shunning alcohol, adopting vegetarianism, banning cow slaughter, it also means peace, tolerance to one another and most importantly fighting inequality and for one's right. Gandhiji's soul will be very sad to have witnessed the fate that has befallen on his children, and of all the days, when the nation was celebrating the 66th Independence day.
(Can be reached at norenkikon@gmail.com)
