This was happening around the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting Manipur and two other states - Mizoram and Assam.
I am talking here of another state -- Arunachal Pradesh. I have been here earlier and knew local people as sincere nationalists.
But how does this make so much different is something that ought to be rediscovered.
Left to us - people on the wrong side of fifties -- always feel the world has moved on so fast. It's all so different. There is no humility around; no patriotism and no craze to talk about Honesty.
But unplanned travels like this can often prove oneself wrong !
By habit and professional 'necessities'; I started interacting with a young damsel. She was forthright what she was saying.
When she knew the visitor was from Delhi -- she said - "I know your city of floods. I have an aunt in Gurgaon, Haryana. She is a teacher and she told me once 'the safe Drinking Water source' in Delhi and NCR is around 67 per cent as against the national average of 88 per cent or something like that".
What are you studying I asked -- and she responded saying, "Aap Delhi sey ho... Did you see the film 'Delhi Ka Thug".
I could not help laughing.
In India's capital and around - we keep hitting our thugs and jugadus. Even if you visit some high-security zones in some remote places -- you may find a Delhi wallah Vyapari (so called businessman) giving you 'gyan' about patriotism.
We need not get distracted.
I am saying all that because she told me - and left me little stunned -- "I believe uncle that it is possible to introduce honesty in the social and political life of we Indians". The fact of the matter is I felt humble.
I asked her about Hindi language, patriotism and how come 'nationalism' spirit is so strong in Arunachal Pradesh.
"First sir... it starts with the name of my state - Arunachal Pradesh - the land of rising sun. We all feel very proud about it."
"Aaap Bengali ho ... Bangal ke baarey mey sochogey.
Mein toh poori Hindustan ki sochti hoon".
 |
| Blogger and 'teachers' of Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh |
She went on for few minutes and then she again surprised me. "You may not believe Sept 11 is an important day for us...".
As a normal and a modern Indian - I was thinking about the twin towers of America. I expected a brief speech from her on Terrorism.
She said: "Uncle on Sept 11, 1893 ... Swami Vivekananda had delivered his famous Chicago address".
This awakened me because only a short while ago Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted about the significance of the day. I ought to thank a serving soldier who also spoke about Vivekananda's speech before I had the chance meeting with the young lady.
I wanted to taunt her - I asked - "Whom you like Kiren Rijiju (our friend-neta in Delhi) or Pema Khandu"?
She was again very quick - with her razor sharp response: "Hum log Pema Khandu ke log haen (We all are with Chief Minister Pema Khandu)".
At least from my side -- I am convinced - Mr Khandu will come back as the chief minister around 2029 too.
A group of teachers near by over heard us and one of them offered to share her comment - "She is right dada.... yeh thik bol rahi hae".
But here we must talk little more on 'patriotism' of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
I am sure many youngsters in Nagaland, Guwahati, Kanpur (where my daughter is currently studying) and in Ahmedabad or Mumbai -- would not know the date -- Sept 11th, 1893 when Swami Vivekananda delivered his historic Chicago address.
As I reached a near by security point; I hit upon a military personality from western India.
To one of my questions - he quipped: "Hindi is a big binding force here... I am really impressed by the manner they give importance to learning Hindi and also research deep in Hindi literature".
I had accompanied a team of journalists from Delhi when L K Advani as the Home Minister had visited for Roing festival.
The then CM Mukut Mithi had entertained the VVIP with a Hindi number
(of Mohammad Rafi...
"Ye vadiyan yeh fizaen bulaa rahi hai tumhe"
(This beautiful land of ours, this nature is calling you all)
Of course Hindi is often 'disregarded' in other states in the region.
Among the Naga leaders - I remember Late Vamuzo (former Chief Minister) who once told me that in 1965 veteran Congress leader T A Ngullie (who later served as Power Minister of Vamuzo) on March 3rd, 1965 had moved a Private Member's Resolution --
-- "Hindi should not be imposed on non-Hindi speaking areas".
Politically speaking -- some of these resolutions also reflected the state of governance and power politics in Nagaland or any other state.
Another Naga leader K V Keditsu (a former Speaker) on March 17, 1967 had moved a Private Member's Resolution on "withdrawal of Government
vehicles from non-entitled persons".
So, nepotism is not a typical Nepal phenomenon of 2025 !!
 |
| Vamuzo : Political Motivation !! |
Just to add another anecdote - Vamuzo knew a few words in Hindi.
During the peak of political crisis, he came to witness the North East Gold Cup football match at Kohima stadium.
My senior colleague Yanger Thakkar (of PTI) and me - we rushed to him and asked about the political situation.
Flamboyant Vamuzo gesticulated his ten fingers and then said : "You keep your fingers crossed... I am going to drop all Congress ministers.... Don't report now ... Samajhtha hae".
Yes, both me and Yanger (now deceased) also understood. And a few days later all Congress ministers including Chingwang Konyak (present NDPP chief) was dropped.
Wrap up :
"I have seen flowers coming in stony places
And kind of things done by men with ugly faces...." - from the poem "An Epilogue" by English poet John Masefield.
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment