NO RETREAT. NO SURRENDER.

257 days.

It has been challenging to say the least. The choices we have to make, whether to simultaneously develop a thick hide to the ‘terrorist’, ‘illegal immigrant’ tag we are labeled with when any untoward incident occurs, or to NOT develop a cold, cynical heart precisely because of all of the above.

The silence from the mainstream media and the apathetic indifference from the rest of the country, family members (yes them) included makes one wonder, do we really matter?

The newly relaunched #BharatJodoNyayYatra flagged off yesterday in Manipur but the alacrity with which the convoy passed through the state has been, let’s say hardly surprising but yes, disappointing indeed.

There was none of the meeting with the general public to get a sense of how they have been coping, horrendously I might add, over the past year of sorts. Which begs the question, what really then was the purpose of starting the journey from there? 

Apart from the five minute photo ops with children and the indigenous outfitted folks, the token armymen, there really was no time taken to find out what the obvious need was.

Nyay. Justice for our people.

Surely 257 days and counting, with no semblance of rights being afforded to the common man should amount to something right?

Although to be fair, one cannot really blame them. Since Manipur is well, complicated, where guns have ruled for as long than we could care to remember. 

Guns by men in fatigues, one sponsored by the state and the other, well sponsors of the state.

And while it is easy to mouth platitudes like Saho Mat and Daro Mat, for those that live under the shadow of the gun, we have suffered much and feared in equal measure. 

So, in that, there was opportunity today and yesterday, to put these fears to rest. If only to say, I know what that feels like. 

But I fear, I expected too much too soon. 

Because what is 257 days after all?

To add to it, recent additions to the cavalcade that had so far remained conspicuously silent over the past 8+ months serves only to prove, that it is the chair and the pursuit to position and power that matters.. 

There is no descent to a punier power, only the ever upward thirst for the grand prize, a seat at the round table.

Suddenly, the renewed call for justice and sound bites of the screams of the people of Manipur.  Empathy much?

 

But in the end, it is just that, talk.
A tale told by an idiot.
Full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
A sum total of zero, absolute nothingness.

In the grander scheme of things, Manipur has once again been relegated to and shown its place, a land largely forgotten, its people and their lives holding little consequence or worth, be it electoral or otherwise.

Perhaps it is time we realized it too. And that our true worth lies not in leaders, elected gainfully or not, but in ourselves.

We are a stubborn lot, proud of our ancestry and heritage where once we stood up to the oppressors, the mighty British, dying rather than being enslaved. 
Maybe it is time for us to finally embrace our past. 

Tah chapa ka pa chapa

I am the son, daughter of my father.

No retreat.

No surrender.

Inquilab Zindabad

#Justice #ForMyPeople #noretreatnosurrender

#Manipur