Paradise, a term used for a place of timeless harmony. A place
where you forget all your sufferings and enjoy eternal bliss. Our country India
is indeed lucky enough to be blessed with many such places that are a timeless
reminder of the beauty of the almighty creation. The North East India is also
one such region of enchanting beauty and serenity. Nestled in the lap of the
majestic Himalayas, the seven sisters as they are popularly known are lands
that offer mystifying diversity and showcase breathtaking magnanimity of
nature. However, even though these lands have been bestowed with endless
natural beauty, these regions have always been battling through crisis, be it
territorial disputes, natural disasters and even isolation from their own
countrymen due to ethnic disparity. They have always tried to face these
challenges head on and have never given anyone the chance to doubt their
patriotism. But, due to external factors like narrow mindedness of our society,
extremist led insurgency, etc. the peace and harmony of these regions has time
and again been disrupted. These are serious issues that require attention or
they may have far reaching consequences on the integrity of our nation.
Racism and the appalling death of Nido Tani:
He was mocked and teased for his features. He retaliated by
breaking a glass door. A fight broke out and they brutally killed him. As
gruesome as it may sound,this is the harsh truth. A college going youngster
murdered just because he looks different and doesn't fit into the mould of the
traditional Indian mindset!!Really shocking behavior there by the people! Nido
Tania was like any other 20 year old, funky clothes, trendy hairstyle. He and
his friend were out for some work in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi when a shop owner
of a sweet shop mocked him for his hair and clothes and a brawl began. It ended
with Nido s death. The thing is that this wasn't a senseless fight over a
haircut, but Taniams northeastern features that marked him out for the attack.
This gruesome incident, which happened in the capital itself, highlights the
racism that many from India's beautiful but impoverished North Eastern States
are subjected to. Anyone of the approximately 20,000 students that come to the
capital region for education and better job opportunities could have been in
Taniam's place. Their safety needs to be ensured and the biggest threat to them
is their own countrymen who treat them as outsiders. Casual racism has become a
commonplace, with people calling them chinkies(narrow eyed) and passing
derogatory remarks. However it's not just the physical differences that make
people from the northeast stand out in a big city like Delhi, but the fact that
their society is culturally more permissible than 'Mainstream India'. This, it
is very important that we address this issue of racism And eradicate it from
our society so that the integrity and unity of our nation is not compromised.
The protests over his death waged on but will we do justice to him only when we
ensure that there's no possibility of such inhuman thing happening again.
Insurgency-the best business in the north-east:
This region has been the birthplace of many insurgent
factions,demanding freedom from the main land. The ever increasing arrogance
and confidence of the insurgents is the settling for. Multitude of conflict
that undermines the idea of India as a prosperous and functioning democracy.
Also, unsurgency has become a sort of business with an abundance of illegal
funds of benefactors being used to buy arms, in turn increasing the demand from
the manufacturers. Different insurgent groups in different states have wreaked
havoc in the daily lives of the people disturbing the peace and security of the
region and also the country as a whole.The absurd demand for a separate country
can never be met .The people of this region have been left disappointed due to
the government efforts for their cause. Unfortunately the data and the
information on the region is not sufficiently analysed and communicated between
the region and the center,contributing to further mismanagement and alienation.
At another level, insurgency in the region has been all pervasive phenomena,
and in its violent form has not only affected the sovereignty of the Indian
state, but also the life of the various people living in the region in
incomprehensible and inexplicable terms. However, amidst widespread unrest and
anarchy, the people of this region haven't given up the hope of walking away
from this mess one day and be free from a situation which cripples the, from
all sides. The government must stop all such factions,many of which run their
parallel government and force the people to obey their laws,at all costs.
Otherwise, we may face a very difficult scenario regarding the sovereignty of
this region
The Armed Forces Special Powers Act -An abomination and A blot on
Human Rights:
Imagine you are facing a problem and the person you rely on most
is infact greatly responsible for the situation you are in. Obviously you are
shattered and feel helpless. Well that's precisely what our brothers and
sisters in the North eastern states are facing right since the late 1960s.
Forced to live under constant fear and having seen their lives disrupted due to
the insurgents, The government was their only hope .The state government
demanded the centre for aid in administration and military protection.The
centre responded by passing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in 1958
when the Nagaland independence movement was taking off.This has been perhaps
the most condemned act of the legislation almost as the
infamous Rowlatt act of the British.The ASPFA is a bare law with just six
sections.The most damning of those are the fourth and sixth sections : the
former enables security forces to fire upon or otherwise use force,even to the
causing of death ,while the latter says no criminal prosecution will lie
against any person who has taken action under this act.Startling and absurd as
it may sound ,in 57 years since its inception, not a single army,or
paramilitary soldier or officer has been prosecuted for murder,
rape,destruction of property(including the burning of the villages in
Nagaland and Mizoram).It is indeed a very shameful and horrific history ,which
India knows little about and has cared for even less.Thousands have suffered
mercilessly due to the abuse of power by the soldiers ,treated like animals and
left to rue their destiny.Women have been subjected to torture and rape
.There have been tAlks of reforming the act several times over the decades but
sadly much hasn't been done with both the politicians and the army playing the
blame game.The people have protested but due to no avail.The people ,especially
the women were so agitated that they staged a naked protest and gone on
hunger strikes.Though in recent years ,the issue has been taken seriously by
the higher ranked officials,with Former pm Atal Bihari Vajpay condemning the
act and urging the house to review it. The situation demands no less from the
current PM, who must fight all opposition and put an end to this barbaric
exploitation of civilians in the name of national security.So as we rest, we
must ask questions and support our countrymen.How many more deaths,how many
more naked protests,how many more committees, how many more articles before
AFSPA goes.
These issues that our countrymen face must be tackled and
eradicated from their roots.Only then can we make them feel that they are not
alone,that somebody is there for them.Only then can we call ourselves a true
democracy,a country where there is unity in diversity and where harmony
and brotherhood reigns.
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