By Benjamin Lyngdoh
The title of the column translates into a phrase ‘In our own land; we do as we please.” Quite obviously, the phrase depicts a sense of pride and ownership of something and that it consequently entails a freedom to do or be as desired or pleased.
In literal terms, one might be excused for thinking about it as a light-hearted phrase that does not need much deliberation or delving into. In addition, some might take it in a positive note as being a mission/motivational statement that drives a person/people towards productive outcomes (say a sense of well-being or contentment). However, in the contemporary Khasi community the ramifications are far more serious. It is a reflection of something more sinister. One might be as candid in saying that it is a description of a sense of fear and insecurity. It is an expression of the feeling of being enslaved and controlled by others. It portrays that the ‘sons of the soil’ are being dominated by others. On the other hand, and increasingly, the phrase ‘ha ri lajong; katba mon!’ is being considered as a war cry and a call of defiance. It is about standing firm and steadfast. It is a call by the pressure groups to strike back and strike hard. The justification for such is that we are the ‘sons of the soil’ and as such we have the freedom to do and live as we please in our own land. Hence, while keeping in perspective the dichotomous nature of the phrase, it is important to dissect ‘why’ it has come about and ‘what’ it really means for the Khasi community at large. As such, can the phrase be used as an awakening cry in the true sense of the term? Or is it just a cry of frustration? What is the way out?
To start with, the people in the state know that the phrase has been there for quite some time but it has gained undue only in recent times. Today, it is largely seen as a result of large scale resentment over a number of violent incidents involving the Khasis and the non-Khasis. To name a few, the attack on Lurshai Hynniewta at Ichamati and his subsequent death, the Lawsohtun basketball court incident where a group of non-Khasi boys were attacked and the subsequent investigation resulted in a number of Khasi boys being picked up for interrogation, the attack on migrant labourers from Assam at a village near Mawkyrwat which resulted in the death of Raju Mondal, the Golf Links attack where Phershan Roy Marthong succumbed to his grievous injuries and the very recent 58 Gorkha Training Centre versus the Mawshbuit villagers rings fresh in the memories of all.
To call a spade a spade, all these violent incidents reek of a deep-rooted mistrust, resentment and animosity between the Khasis and the non-Khasis. What is even more disturbing is that the pressure groups have openly claimed that there was not enough condemnation by the wider sections of the Khasi community towards the murder and exploitation of their own and these very same people are quick to stand up for the non-Khasis. That fact is that these allegations of nepotism, favouritism and allegiance towards the non-Khasis are unfounded. The truth is that a crime is a crime and a murder is a murder and exploitation is exploitation. It knows no community or identity. It does not matter who commits crime/murder/exploitation on whom. They are all equally to be condemned! If anything at all, these anti-social elements are a blot on society who should be taken to task.
In order to drive the point home, the readers may try to relate to the religion-centric societal depiction of the Hindi movie PK starring Amir Khan and Anushka Sharma. In the movie, all the prominent religions of India be it Hinduism or Islam or Christianity were harshly critiqued. However, one facet of the movie is important for all to realize. Since the majority in India are Hindus, Hinduism took the major bashing with moderate bashing for Islam and negligible bashing for Christianity. But what is the crux here? The crux is that since majority of the Indian population practices Hinduism, so goes the criticism and critique. By the same analogy, in Meghalaya if a non-Khasi is beaten up by a Khasi, it is widely seen as an act of intimidation and subjugation. Accordingly, there comes a lot of condemnation and abhorrence. If the case is vice versa, then it is seen as an exertion and power-positioning. How is that possible? How can the non-Khasis be so boastful? That cannot be! This is the position of the pressure groups and as a result comes the expectations for mass condemnation. In such a situation, any degree of condemnation will not seem enough and hence starts the abuse and malice towards the so called ‘English media Khasi people’. However, this is not true! In reality, everyone condemns an act of violence no matter which side of the spectrum they fall in. As such, it is high time that this misconception is laid to rest by the pressure groups.
In relation to the above, the role played by the government and the media houses is critical. In a nutshell, they are supposed to be alleviators of a communal situation and not inflame it. Yes, law takes its course and law takes its time. However, the government must try to ensure that the investigating agencies do not take too much time in solving a case. The delays only worsen the situation and rubs salt on the wounds of the near and dear ones. This only agitates the people thereby nurturing anarchy and lawlessness. In addition, even more important than the pressure groups that shout in the streets, it is the duty of the state legislature to get its act right. The demand for ILP is a good example. If the state government does not get its act right, we are heading towards another spell of turmoil and violence as seen in the past. This is a clarion call especially to the pressure group leaders who are now sitting MLAs/MDCs. Similarly, the media houses must stand up as an ardent ‘fourth pillar of democracy’. It would be better if they report on communal incidents/violence with a moderate and unbiased tone. In general, the English dailies of Shillong do receive a lot of criticism on the reporting of such incidents. People say they are biased. However, what about the vernacular Khasi dailies? They have their own shortcomings. They also do their fair share of biased news reporting. However, the intention of this column is not to create animosity even of the slightest degree; rather, it is to revisit reporting standards of media houses and the exercise of duties and responsibilities judiciously and responsibly.
In the end, one hopes that the good intentions of all outweighs the bad. It is better to bury the hatchet and let us move on as humans. For the Khasi community, the phrase ‘ha ri lajong; katba mon!’ need not be discarded; rather, it may be taken as a motivational cry towards hard work, dedication, sincerity and progress. Well, in the true sense of the term we will be able to do/be ‘katba mon!’ only if we are capable and able enough to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. That way, it is time to convert the ‘war’ cry into a ‘work’ cry.
(The Author teaches at NEHU; Email: [email protected].