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Community You Belongs To Does Matter!

In India, ones community do tell a lot. The community you belong determines many things. It works as your social identity. How..

By Rishikesh Sinha, New Delhi

Friends, here is a story that I would never forget and it is related of myself being a Bishnupriua Manipuri. Being a Bishnupriya Manipuri does help, especially in a situation where you don’t have anything to show as your identity. And there the community you belong is taken as granted as your identity.

In places like Jammu and Kashmir, presently trouble torn state carrying an identity is compulsory for anyone. You don’t know when security personnel demands from you. Not to mention, security in Kashmir is a prime concern, especially for security personnel posted there.

Unfortunately, I have completed my schooling from this state at that time when terrorism was at peak. Not making the story long. Here it is ..

It happened that to collect my class 12 result I went to my school situated inside the highly guarded Kashmir Airport that is under Air Force. I skipped my school bus so that I can go later at day time and comfortably collect all necessary documents like mark sheets and character certificate..

But as soon as I entered the main gate after successfully impressing the stationed Air Force guard that I am a student of the school, he allowed me to enter after compulsory frisk on my body.

Two army personnel with AK series gun hanging on their shoulder came and started frisking me. Hell breaks loose when the metal detector started beeping signaling presence of explosives in my body. It took no time they had already pointed at me their guns- ready to shoot. In fear of death within seconds I blurt out my credentials like where my father works and which rank.

After my answers impressed the guards, as a ritual they took me to their superior. He was also impressed about my credential. He asked me the name of the place I belongs to and the caste.

I remember as soon as I unfurled B-I-S-H-N-U-P-R-I-Y-A M-A-N-I-P-U-R-I from my mouth. He got relaxed and ordered the guard to free me. The reason of my release I came to know when I turned my back and I heard the officer saying “ye log acche hote he…chod do..chod do” [they are good people…leave him].

It was a great escape, indeed, otherwise I would have been, God forbid, being in the list of “killed in cross firing”!

Here my story ends.

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Comments

  1. Anonymous29 January 2008 at 11:29

    Hi Rishi,

    I do agree with u that being a Bishnupriya Manipuri is a plus point..i too remember one incident where one of my cousin brothers was being held up by ULFA in Duliajan..but once they came to know that he is a Bishnupriya Manipuri they let him go..the reason was that once one(the ULFA who picked him up) of them was rescued by few BM guys when he was attacked by the Bengalis of Silchar..He asked his fellow associates to leave my cousin and said that, "these BM people are the most harmless and peace loving creatures on land"..

    Nice post....Ranita

    ReplyDelete
  2. b n sinha29 January 2008 at 12:54

    I always consider Rishi as technically perfect, being a professional he is quite precise and to the issue.A perfect editor.

    Well there are some personal comments to Rishi which i wud like to share with all the fellow readers that despite being born and brought up in non BM environment he posseses all the typical BM commandments as he speaks BM language correctly more than a villager does.

    ReplyDelete
  3. gailkepuranesathi13 July 2008 at 20:44

    Hi Rishi,

    I am a new reader of this BM blog.

    I have been searching all the stories one by one whenever I do find some time out of my hectic shift schedule.

    As I am living in the UAE, reading stories and comments in the blog has become a part of my life here.

    I really like the stories posted by you and Ranita.

    Anyway thanks for the stories.

    With best regards,

    a BM from Abu Dhabi

    ReplyDelete

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