AV Chophi
Chilisa, Mishikito Village
“Funny, funny, funny - you’re my honey, honey, honey, I spend all my mo-mo-money on you” so sang the band ‘THE TEENS” in their 1978 song.
Firstly, I feel it safe to say that our Naga society is ensorcelled, enchanted and bewitched into this enigma, “Money money-honey honey-funny funny”
Conundrums upon conundrum, riddles upon riddle, rhetorics upon rhetoric and hypothesis upon hypothesis.
More questions than answers, more problems than solutions, more illusions than realities, more blaming than trusting. You even come to a point where, when you try to point one finger at other, you find yourself with 3 fingers pointing back at you.
Secondly, most Nagas from all walks of lives and from all age groups hates and abhors the NPGs (yup that’s no secret), social media platforms are flooded with hate message, hate campaigns, spitting, biting, hating, wherein some case, even ‘Angels will fear to tread’ NPGs this NPGs that, but hey hold a second, think about yourself, think about what have you done for the society, if not at least for your own family?
NPGs are hated because of so called taxations, collections, extortions etc which in short is all about ‘Money’ but think about this, why are Naga youths lured with money and being conscripted into Armed forces, law enforcements agencies or other lucrative jobs? Yes you got it...it is because of salaries, pays, incentives, allowances pensions etc, etc, so the bottom line here is nothing but all about ‘Money’ and the real bone of contention here is, “We are meticulously pitted against each other by our slave masters with Money Language” and so they say “When Money Speaks No One Checks The Grammar” but that’s why I say Money Funny.
Now who does not love or need money? Young or old, boy or girl, big or small, who? here’s the thing, if you are pointing your dirty finger at others and saying you don’t love money, then it becomes funny because you are only lying to yourself but please remember this, whatever your hate campaign is all about, it is only ‘Irrational And Jealousy And Not Reasons’
Thirdly, NPGs maybe your cup of hate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but, think about this, in some way at least the IBIs or mias, or refugees or outsiders are restraining themselves because of something. What?? Why? It is because everybody fears the ‘thunder stick’
Now think about the attempted murder on Yetovi Zhimomi at Zukihe village by Naveen Kumar Singh and Papu Dharam Singh. The attempted murder on a hard earning boy Kumughato by Amir Hussain and Azarad Ali at Pimla village.
In all true sense of the word, this is ignominiously outrageous, this is ridiculously derogatory, this is ludicrously disparaging, this is sacrilege, this is blasphemy!
But what dared these outsiders, what made these hoodlums think that they can simply come in here, breath our air, drink and eat our foods, take our women and shit on our face?
Perhaps, these Godless unscrupulous elements assumed that Nagas are very God fearing people and will be quick to forgive them, no matter what, or maybe they felt that even if they are caught by NPGs, before any action can be initiated upon them, the so called law enforcement agencies and the too God fearing and ever loving Nagas (but with hearts full of hatred & contempt towards NPGs) will jump into their rescue crying ‘Foul’ and shouting ‘Kidnapping, Extortion, Taxation’, you name it…eh!
Nevertheless, these stateless refugees and murderous thugs should thank their lucky stars, because they were caught by Police, and who would be now tried under the so called constitutional set of money (er…sorry laws), but had they been caught by NPGs, it would have been a different story.
Fourthly, if there is a thing called, ‘Life After Death’ I dread to think of that day when our predeceased elders meets us on the other bank of the River and be like “Hey boy, so we spent our entire lives trying to defend our inherent rights that Nagas are subjects to none, not to British, nor Indians nor Myanmar, but are free people, free nation, free entity, whereas here you are now, spending your entire life trying to unfurling it, polarising it, spitting on our graves and ridiculing your brothers for those who chose to defend our legacy of Nagas being Nagas, nothing more nothing less, but Nagas”
Finally, my dear Money-Honey-Funny Naga folks, I know you cannot help but despise the NPGs so much because of ‘Money’ but hypothetically, supposititiously and paradoxically it is also your love for ‘Money’ too that is breeding hate and animosities amongst brothers, polarising our Naga ethics by dancing to the tunes of our adversaries, but whatsoever, in the end, it will be us and nobody else but us who will pay the ultimate price. It is us who will suffer the consequences, it will be us who will lose our identity and perhaps, may even become strangers in our own land.
(Nota Bene: The above views are all expressed in my individual capacities and does not reflects the views of any organisation that I may represent, whatsoever)
