It is not only a sign to show that the Narendra Modi Government is putting all its labour to safeguard and empowered women of the country, but it is also an attempt to show that Manipur is a very part of the Indian sub continent. The Indian Army, which is supposed to be one of the largest in the world had absorb hundreds and thousands of Manipuri youths – both men and women and now a born Manipuri now hold one of the most top ranking officers in the Indian Army. There are also many in both the Navy and the Air Force. That was indeed a moment of pride for every Manipuri when a daughter of the soil, Captain Haobam Bella Devi unfurled the Indian Tri-colour flagged at the Nation’s most significant Republic Day Celebration.
It was also a matter of pride for all the gender activists across the country when the Narendra Modi led administration assigned a lady officer of the Air Force Wing Commander Pooja Thakur to lead the Inter-Service Guard of Honour, that was inspected by the President of US Barrack Obama at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday.
Replacing male counterpart by female cadres in the most significant occasion of the country had showed that the Modi administration is serious about ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ programme, which was launched recently.
While showing its effort to empowering women of the nation, the selection of a Manipuri girl to unfurl the tri-colour flag of the nation has also served another purpose in this trouble torn state of Manipur. Since the controversial mergers of erstwhile kingdom in September, 1949, the birth of separatist movement in this region had long been alienated from the mainland. The merger, which was tagged as the root of the separatist movement is not the only factor to the rise of insurgency in the region. There were other reasons too. It is only this time that born Manipuri are promoted to top post in the Indian Military of Air Force or in the Indian Secrete Service or administrative service. Most talented young men of the region of 70s or 80s were often heard of depriving their rights on their journeyed to the top post at any of the responsible central government job. A mere blood relationship with UG element which was in its height had resulted the sabotage of a potential air force officer during those period. Above these discrimination attitude of some of the few Indian mainland people towards the people from the North East region has always stood as a factor to feel alien to these people in their own land.
It seemed like the NarendraModi administration has learnt the wrongs that were committed towards the people of NE in the past. Now, every effort to make every Indian felt themselves as Indian is working out. But there is still one thing left to be done to bridge the misunderstanding between NE (particularly Manipur) and the mainland people. Repeal AFSPA. It is outdated and it is treating some people as a second class citizen. Mr. Modi himself has assured to scrap the outdated law during a speech at Medicson Square Garden in United state. Scrap the outdated law and treat all Indian equally.
