Uncondemnable: A Story of school childrens heroism at Khumulwng
By:RK Debbarma, Category: General, Posted on:2011-11-24 13:44:03

They sat outside their tiny hostels, in batches. Sullen. Resolute. And angry. As we walked past them, they stared at us. It was difficult to read their face. Perhaps afraid. Or may be emboldened by our appearance. Earlier in the morning they fought pitched battle with the police and ransacked the nearby police station. Braving warning gun shots, these school children of Khumpui Academy, ran by the Tripura Territorial Autonomous District Council for underprivileged families of Tripuri society, challenged the police (a force which had gained notoriety for brutalities against anti-government protestors this year). What made these small school children defy police?

The Khumulwng park incident did make front page on local English dailies of Tripura. Quite frankly, I arched my sarcastic eyebrows reading the content of the news. May be the news papers were exercising their seldom exercised ethic by being silent about the politics of skin or should I say politics of nose. So lets talk straight. Last Saturdaty about sixty Bengali picnickers at Khumulwng park entered a nearby hostel (Khumpui academy) and beat up tribal boys. Some of the boys were so small that they tossed and hurled them like vegetables. The tribal students only fault was that they requested the Bengali picnickers to minimise the volume of their music as it disturbed their study for exam next day. And when the students requested police station nearby to intervene, the angry picnickers attacked the hostel aided by, now suspended, Bengali police officer. It led to violent clash between the Bengali picnickers and local tribal residents. Next day, the entire students of Khumpui Academy, clashed with police and ransacked the police station. Not surprisingly, the protest against the administration by various organisation was marked by division. Twipra Students Federation carried out protest march and road blockade. While the cadres of Communist party of India attacked a rally autorikshaw of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra. Instead of coming together to show their support to the students of the Academy, many of these groups engaged in scoring political points.

The important question is this: why did these Bengali picnickers and police men attack these students for merely asking them to reduce the volume of their loud speakers? Is it because these students were tribals? Lets keep in mind that this beating up of tribal boys took place at the headquarters of ADC. Tribals of Tripura were supposed to be protected by ADC, and within ADC they are supposed to be empowered. This incident destabilizes the very idea of autonomy and disrupts the very meaning of ADC as safe-guarding tribals interest. In fact the CEM, the political head of ADC came to visit the school only the in the evening to talk to the aggrieved students. He made the students sit around him and ordered the students to narrate the incident. Is his administration so nave, so inept, so stupid? The incident had taken place 48 hours ago. It took place just half a mile from his office. I had never seen such a mockery. Instead of asking the school students what happened, he need to ask himself what does this incident means for ADC. It is an attack on ADC. And those who claim to protect the tribal interest should be ashamed by the turn of the incident. So far, none from the present administration have condemned the beating up of tribal school children. Certain form of violence are uncondemnable by politicians in power in ADC drunken Bengali men beating up tribal school children is one such.

Ultimately, one must ask if ADC has failed its purpose. This also brings into focus voices that demand curving out ADC areas as separate state. I am aware that this is only once incident. Thereby my questions are rash and unwanted. I agree. However, what I am hinting at is the failure of symbolic meaning of ADC. A batman will not be a batman without his symbol. A Ceasar have to kill gladiators name before he kills the Gladiator. It appears ADC has long ago failed its symbolic meaning. Its name no longer inspires confidence. This is why drunken men can walk in to its headquarters, beat up school children, and be escorted out by police. Uncondemned by administration.

Should we start singing its requiem.

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