With inputs from Supriya Shijagurumayum and Ringo Pebam
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23 February 2009
Three unclaimed bodies has been lying in the morgue of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal since Feb. 17. The bodies bore the signs of brutal torture, head bludgeoned with spade and then smashed with a rock. One among them is Dr. Thingnam Kishan, a great scholar turned civil administrator posted in a remote village in Manipur. His mistake - he stood against diversion of development funds by the mighty extortionists, the self-proclaimed saviors of the region, popularly known in common man's parlance inner government and more powerful than the democratically elected government. He did something which no one, not even the Chief Minister of the state, dared to do. The other two were his subordinate staff.
The incident brought the already troubled state into complete standstill since last four days because of bandhs, strikes and curfews. Demanding justice, family members refused to claim the bodies and rejected the ex-gratia. With no transportations and markets closed, the state has turned into a hell on earth. Essential commodities are not reaching the state. People are not having enough food to eat. Families of vegetable vendors who buy 1-2kg of rice everyday by selling their vegetables are starving now. The schools and colleges in the whole state are closed.
But what is more shocking than the incident and the situation following it, is the fact that the national media, as usual, is ignorant of the situation. Perhaps, Jawaharlal Nehru's " Jewel of India" and "The birth place of modern day polo", is not as important and as valuable as SRK's shoulder. Dr. Thingnam was as Indian as S Manjunath, a sales manager of IOC, who also met the same fate a few years back with the media taking up the issue. Dr. Thingnam belongs to Manipur whose people praise for the Indian cricket team, the state whose sportspersons still proudly represent India in all international events. But one fails to understand why so much partiality by the mainstream media in at least following brutal and cruel murder of an upright officer who has now become a hero? Is it because Manipur contribute very little to the mad rush for TRPs by the news channels, buys less copies of newspaper and appeal less interest to the sponsors of the corporate media? Is heroism defined and measured only by acts of people closer to Indian media? Does the cry of 30 lakh population have anything do with anyone in India?
Picture: Dr Kishan unfurling Indian flag at an Independence Day Celebration
Interestingly the Chinese media seems to be more keen on the incident and did not hesitate to report it. The New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), News Channel from China, crossed hundred of miles, political and geographical barrier to report the incident. See news report from Chinese media. I hope the world does not laugh hearing the much hyped term "Superpower India" when the people of the country does not even know the boundary of their own country and not aware of what is happening inside their country. Thanks to the responsible Indian media. Hats off to you!!
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