Bombs, bullets and bulletins

by Sanatombi

Thursday , September 13, 2012 at 11 : 00

In modern Manipur, the price of petrol or cooking gas would be unaffordable for many individuals. But when it comes to bombs, bullets, bandhs and bulletins, you would not be surprised to see that it's all free of cost, be it bandh or blockade or bullet. It is no more a shocking incident to discover that a bomb was hurled at your neighbour's home; it's no more a matter of concern to find out that someone got shot by a cheap bullet. And for all this fiasco, there are bulletins ready to awaken the people out of their slumber but equally unimportant and redundant to let them sleep for another couple of hours. Applaud us as brave hearts. Brave, yes, we are. But we would never admit the very fact that this bravery is a result of compulsive traumatic disorder that we have often come across.

This evolved sense of bravery, however, took some time to get mature and acknowledged. Earlier, we used to get quite shocked to come across news of bomb blast or police encounter with the rebels. Later, after tormenting ourselves with questions a many, we have finally got used to everything that happens around. Three people dead today - oh, that's very bad, but "Where should we have some hooch shots today, Mooji or Kakhulong?"

We are still reluctant to find out why all these unwanted ruckus continuously happen in our society. Forming a Joint Action Committee is a much easier task than discussing among ourselves the probable solutions to the chaos and the consequences. Day by day, we have started forming a solid mindset that we are supposed to be prepared for anything wrong that happens in our society. Who knows who will be shot dead today? So, when there is a bomb blast at a nearby locality, we are not supposed to walk out of our homes because there would be frisking everywhere at the city.

We have observed for all these years how the anti-government outfits and the system keep on playing fire-fire (a local game played by kids) with each other. Meanwhile, we, the moronic mass, become victims of abductions or atrocious killings and sufferings. We are sickened to be sandwiched between them and we desperately want to escape somewhere. Bud sadly we don't know the escape route. Where do we run away from our own homes? Why should we run away in the first place? We lead our lives with a notion that we are supposed to follow a rule or norm of living. We are leading our lives with a crisis of our own identities. We are reluctant to define ourselves as proud citizens of a republic nation and when we try to talk to our own brethren, we are baffled by the churning wind of disintegration and hatred that have been scripted coherently in some size of a huge coffee-table book.

Alright, let us agree that we badly need a revolution in our society. However, I detest the very idea off one such revolution based on violence and force. I rather believe in an intellectual revolution. The 'how' of this intellectual revolution is still an open question. If it's really a revolution that we are seeking for, then it should see its light of the day someday, but it should not take such a long time. And it only depends on us, Period.

I have this earnest belief that any revolution is possible only when there is a collective effort among the hoi polloi. We seriously don't need any gun to bring revolution in our society, needless to say their declining support from the people. Any draconian law like AFSPA cannot even bruise our spirit. But the most important call is are we really ready to change ourselves?

What kind of revolution are we expecting to see when we lack a collective sense and political consciousness? I know I would be called lame to unnecessarily worry about all these (But it would be no surprise, seeing we are always master critics). Well, I have a very selfish motive of getting concerned with all these issues. Bulletins of bandhs, bombs and bullets really make me depressed and I can't wait to cure this depression as soon as possible. But where are our Avengers? Will they really turn up to help us get rid of these daily bombs, bullets and bulletins?