Monday Musing
[ Bengia Ajum ]
In the past month, three major incidents have caused immense pain to the people of Arunachal Pradesh. These issues deserve deeper debate and discussion if we are serious about building a better future for the state.
The first concerns a video of the Nyokum Yullo celebration from Sagalee town in Papum Pare district that recently went viral on social media. In the video, two different Nyokum celebrations can be seen at the same venue, one being performed with Yullo and the other without it.
Nyokum Yullo is the most important festival of the Nyishi tribe, the largest tribe of the state. For generations, the festival has served as a powerful binding force among the Nyishi people. Unfortunately, in recent years, heated debates over how the festival should be celebrated have begun to surface. Religious fanaticism has started distorting the original spirit of the festival.
A section of Christian believers oppose the performing of Yullo during Nyokum celebrations, while those who wish to celebrate the festival in its traditional form insist that Yullo is integral to Nyokum. The Sagalee incident is a clear example of how this debate has now reached the grassroots level.
This division over Nyokum Yullo is deeply painful. The differences must be addressed with maturity, so that people are not forced into two opposing camps. Religious leaders, whether Christian, Donyi-Polo followers, or Hindus should not use the Nyokum festival to divide the Nyishi community. A festival created by our forefathers to unite people should never become a weapon of division.
The second incident that has kept the people of Arunachal, particularly those living in the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR), on tenterhooks is the ongoing election process of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU). The violence witnessed during the registration process has shocked the entire state. The open use of firearms, which was captured on camera, sent shockwaves across Arunachal.
The election process has currently been put on hold because of the ongoing budget session of the state Assembly. However, people in the ICR are worried about what will happen when the process resumes. There is a growing feeling that the home department has not acted strongly enough.
When violence first broke out and a firearm was used at the NEFA Club, which houses the AAPSU office, strong action was not taken. This appears to have emboldened the rioters. Later, during a clash between supporters in Chandranagar near the DC office, the properties of nearby residents and vehicles on the highway were damaged. The hooligans seemed to have a free run.
The repeated failure to control these violent clashes has damaged the image of the administration and the home department in particular. It gives the impression that the police have lost control of the situation. Unfortunately, innocent citizens who have nothing to do with the elections are the ones suffering.
The patience of ordinary residents in the ICR is wearing thin. It is time for the rule of law to prevail. In the future, AAPSU or ANSU elections should perhaps not be held in the ICR but in other locations. If the capital region is to grow into a modern cosmopolitan city, such hooliganism cannot be allowed to flourish.
The third disturbing incident is the racial attack on Arunachalee women living in Malviya Nagar in New Delhi. The accused have been arrested and most people across India have condemned the incident. However, some commentators from mainland India have argued that the Northeast is overreacting and that people from the region should also introspect about racism faced by mainland Indians in the Northeast.
Any form of racism must be condemned, including when it is committed by our own people. But the two situations cannot simply be equated.
Cannot say about other states, but in Arunachal, during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, tribal communities generally did not display racist behaviour towards outsiders. People who came from mainland India – especially teachers – were respected and often revered. Any isolated incidents of hostility were largely the result of ignorance, as our society was still transitioning into modern life.
However, as more young people from the Northeast began migrating to Indian cities for education and employment, they increasingly faced racism. That is when feelings of resentment and reverse racism began to emerge. Still, this does not justify racist behaviour from our side.
I studied in Mysore and Delhi and personally experienced harassment and racism. As a young student, I sometimes felt anger and thoughts of revenge. But with time, better sense prevailed. I chose to remember the good friends and meaningful experiences I had in those cities. Not everyone is the same.
It is a fact that the racism faced by people from the Northeast in mainland India is relentless. It occurs in everyday situations. Simply walking down a street, someone might shout slurs like “Chinki” or “Momo.” Such behaviour leaves deep scars. Ultimately, one long-term solution lies in developing our own state, so that our youths are not forced to migrate in large numbers to distant cities in search of education and opportunities.
