Joe Bloggs
Churachandpur – The second largest town in the state of Manipur after the Capital Imphal, which also is the District Headquarter for the Churachandpur District, is a town that never fails to run out of Controversies, Imbroglios and ‘Communal Distortions’ of Life. It is a town where you can find ‘ A Truck Load of Presidents and Secretaries of Various Organizations that represent the Numerous Tribes that inhabits this once so peaceful town. Churachandpur is also ‘A Town’ where narrow domestic walls stands strong like the Great Wall of China. And the divisions among the ‘Resident Communities’, is apparently so wide that there is Communalization of every sphere of life. Communalism has indeed found a stronghold here in Churachandpur, and it has often reared its ugly dirty and bloody Head.
Ccpur has been many times ‘ An Arena’ where Blood Thirsty Gladiators often sought, hunt and kill their next prey. It has been a Battlefield between warring communities, and there is no guarantee that it won be again in the near future. With every major Community of this town, having their own Armed Militia and Area of Influence, the situation is getting precarious day by day. Peace has been sacrificed, crucified, robbed of its purity, raped of its virginity for the sake of so called racial superiority, false pride and inflated egos. As patriotism for one’s Own Community takes control. And the people here seems to be spending more time buying Guns than educating their sons on the need for peaceful co-existence, universal brotherhood, spirit of tolerance and mutual non aggression.
In a Communally Surcharged Atmosphere and Environment like Churachandpur, Patriotism for One’s own Community always take precedence over ‘ The Good of All’, emotions often run high and swells up the Community Pride. And Consensus is a Word hardly used or heard at all.
The ‘Burning Issue’ that is being hotly debated and discussed by every sections of the Ccpurians from Government offices to Schools, from Shops to Cafes to Street Corners, these days is ‘ The Lingual War’ between the Paite and Kukis. Yes! Two of the major tribes of Churachandpur - The Paite and The Kukis are once again locking horns, and daggers drawn over the issue of ‘ The Host Language’ for the Doordarshan & AIR (All India Radio Station) at Churachandpur. Both ‘the warring tribes’ are putting their claims as strongly as they could, and leaving no stone unturned to make sure that their own ‘Native Tongue’ (Own Communal Dialect) is made, and declared ‘ The Official Host Language’ of the Doordarshan and All India Radio Station at Churachandpur.
The Paite Community feels that it is their Language that should be made the Official Host Language of the DD & AIR Station at Churachandpur, and no other. No wonder the Paites are making such a grand claim as some might feel. But they are according to themselves the ‘Undisputed Champions & Owners’ of Churchandpur District. Though, no one knows how many would agree with that.
While on the other hand – The Kukis Community are also pleading their case strongly and are adamant that it is their Language (Kuki / Thadou Language) that deserved to be crowned the ‘Offical Host Language’ of the DD and AIR Station, Ccpur. The Kukis, argument is that, since the DD& AIR Station is located strategically at Tuiboung - A predominantly Kuki Inhabited Area. It is more appropriate and more fitting that the Kuki/Thadou Language is the made the official Host Language of the DD & AIR Station.
Both the belligerents in this Lingual War have taken it as a matter of Community’s Pride. And are mobilizing and exercising and using their influences and contacts at places where it matters, so as to emerge the Victors in this cold lingual war, and we have learnt in history that it is always to the Victors that belongs the Spoils. And Manipur is the right place to learn that a right amount of money given to the right hand at the right time can do a lot of things.
It is anybody’s guess, in which favor the tide will turn in this ensuing ‘Cold Lingual War’. Will the Paites have it their way??? Or will it be the Kukis that will have the last laugh??? And everyone is waiting in anticipation, with bated breath and keeping their fingers crossed for the Grand Finale.
Manipur is a State, As We all know it where rules are made only to be broken, and never followed. Where Law –Makers are ironically Law Breakers (Well-At least they are mentally still). Where Might is the only Right, and a State where One’s influence and the Leverage that One has can always turn the tide in one’s favor. And of course with the passing of ‘ The R.B.I. Legal Tender’ anything can be done in Manipur. Manipur is also just like the other Indian States, A State that thrives on Corruption and Unlawful Practices, where Merit and Hard Work is never or seldom rewarded. So taking all these factors into account, ‘ The Ensuing Great Lingual War’ between the Paite and the Kukis could go either way.
Now one needs to ask ‘ What should be the criteria or the requirements for choosing ‘The Official Host Language’ for an Important and essential Establishment like Doordarshan and All India Radio Station (AIR) in a Communally sensitive Town like Churachandpur which is inhabited by 13 tribes, and where there is no commonly agreed Lingua Franca? Where the Lingua Franca in reality is One’s Own Language, since the languages spoken in Ccpur are more or less related. The Various Communities here can communicate with each other by using their own respective Mother Tongues.
The Concerned Authorities and the Higher Ups should tread cautiously and carefully, as they deal with this complicated and sensitive ‘burning issue’. The Authorities concerned should not over look the fact that Churchandpur is A Town of 13 Presidents and General Secretaries, each representing the interests of their own tribes that inhabits this town. It is advisable that the Authorities always take into consideration the views and opinions of other communities in Ccpur.
Just because the two warring tribes in this lingual war -The Paite and The Kukis Communities may have a better standing politically in the present political set-up in the State doesn’t mean that they can have their say over the rest of the Tribes who forms the population of the Churchandpur District. Where is the Democracy that we pride ourselves in If only the resourceful and the powerful ones always have their way in every important matter??
If there ever was an opinion poll or a referendum, and if ever the Ccpurians were given a chance to express their choice between ‘The Two Warring Candidates’ in the Lingual War. It is certain that there will never be a Consensus, or An Unanimous Decision. Because both the Paite and the Kuki Languages can never claims them selves to be the Lingua Franca of the whole Churachandpur District. As mentioned earlier there is no commonly agreed Lingua Franca in Ccpur, and all the communities here talk to each other in their own tongues.
The official host language of the DD & AIR Station, Ccpur is indeed an important issue, which should be dealt with genuine consideration and taking into the view the mosaic social set-up of the Churachandpur Society. The Authorities Concerned should make sure that whatever language they choose and decide to be the official Host Language of Ccpur DD & AIR Station. One very thing that they should keep in mind is that ‘ It should be a language that is literally rich, and acceptable to all’. At the same time – The Concerned Authorities should also analyze the claims and study the maturity, the depth and richness of the Language before they zero in on a particular language for the official host language of DD&AIR Station, Churachandpur.
If we are to go by our Manipur State Government records, there are still only 2 languages from the whole CCPUR District, which are recognized by The Manipur University as MIL (Major Indian Language) for the Graduate Level Studies. The 2 recognized languages are 1) HMAR 2) MIZO (Lushai).
It is certain that our sole seat of Academic Excellence in the State – The Manipur University would not recognized a Language as an MIL fit for Graduate Level Studies at random. There are sure to be some criteria, and some parameters and yardsticks, which the MU would use to fathom the maturity, the depth and the extent of the Language before declaring it fit to be recognized for Graduate Level Studies.
Surprisingly – Both the Paite and the Kuki Language (the 2 candidate for the official Host Language) are yet to be recognized by the Manipur University as MIL for Graduate Level Studies. Till today, both the Paite and the Kuki Language are recognized only until the High School Level (the 10 std - HSLC). So the reach of these two languages is confined only to the school level and not beyond.
And who could be a better judge on the maturity, depth and richness of a Language than the Manipur University??? So if one is to be rational and to go by logic. The Hmar or the Mizo (Lushai Language) are more competent to be made the Official Host Language of the DD & AIR Station at Ccpur than the competing candidates in the ‘Lingual War’. It won’t be out of line to state here that the HMAR and The MIZO Language are on a higher plane than the Paite and the Kuki Languages. Which is evident from the very fact that the Hmar and the Mizo (Lushai Language) have been scrutinized in detail by the Manipur University and are deemed fit for academic studies at the Graduate Level says so much about the maturity and the richness of the two languages.
In History, we read about the Re-Unification of Italy under Garibaldi and his associates. Italy was divided into small petty province way back then each having their own dialects. A need was felt for a common Lingua Franca, which could foster unity and serve as an efficient means of communication for the re-unification of Italy. The present Italian Language, which is now the official language of the Republic of Italy, It is said, is a dialect of a small non-prominent minority, which had a rich, deep and well-developed and extensive literature. So this ‘ Dialect’ was chosen to be the official language of the Italy Re-unification movement and as time passes by it develops into the language that we now call Italian.
May be the Concerned Authorities can take a page out of history and a clue from the Italy Re-Unification Movement, in deciding which of the various languages of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes should be made the Official Host Language for the DD & AIR Station, Ccpur. And based their selection on pure merit, and to rise above communal and petty considerations, and not to succumb to arm-twisting tactics, powerful and monetary influences. And to let for once - Merit prevails above all communal and ethnic considerations in their choice and selection.
We have mentioned earlier about how more matured and more well refined and developed the The Hmar and The Lushai Languages are in comparison to the Paite and the Kuki Language. So if it would be more appropriate if the Hmar of Lushai language is made the official language. If the Concerned Authorities ever has the wisdom do this, they would be doing full justice to the Manipur University Verdict. If some of the Communal hardliners, cannot accept Hmar Language as the official Language for the DD&AIR Station at Tuiboung Ccpur.
Then the next natural choice would be the Lushai Language, which is considered to be the most advance and the most aristocrat of all the Kuki-Chin-Mizo language. It will not be an exaggeration to call the Lushai Language ‘ The French’ of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo branch of Languages. And the wide and extensive reach of the Lushai language can be judged from the fact that the popularity that the Mizo Singers and Artist from Mizoram enjoys in the Ccpur Dist. And with the ‘Cultural Invasion’ of Ccpur from Mizoram Artists and Singers via the medium of the Cable Television. The Lushai Language has found mass acceptance among the Ccpurians. It not surprising that Daduhi, Liandingpuii, and Nguthangvela are now household names in every Ccpur Homes.
Consensus would never be reached in this matter in a ‘Communal Town’ like Churachandpur. So it is up to the Concern Authorities to exercise the power in their discretion wisely and choose a language that would be acceptable to all. Democracy is about majority and merit. And if we are to go by number – The Hmars are one of the major tribes of the Churachandpur District, and they have a well developed language along with their Mizo ( Lushai) brothers.
So won’t it be more appropriate if the Hmar Language is made the official Host Language, as it is more refined and most developed than the other Languages Which are still in the state of infancy? The Mizo (Lushai) Language is already the official language of the state of Mizoram, so it has already got the crowning glory and the recognition that it deserved. So that leaves only the Hmar Language, which is refined enough to be conferred recognition by the Manipur University. So the Authorities should let Merit prevails and made Hmar the official Language of the DD& AIR Station at Ccpur. Because as mentioned earlier no other languages with the exception of Mizo comes close to the Hmar Language in terms of richness and depth and maturity.
The Paite and Kuki Communities (with no disrespect meant to the 2 sister communities, but as constructive criticism) are making too great a claim just because they have a more political bargaining power than the rest of the tribes. But they need to accept that their language needs to be fully developed and refined and be mature enough before it can stake such a claim. The two languages are still not even recognized for the University Level.
As written earlier the Authorities Concerned would be doing full justice to the Manipur University Verdict if they make either Hmar or Lushai Language the official Host language of the DD& AIR Station Ccpur. If that is still not acceptable then none of the regional language should be made the official language of the DD&AIR Station. And the universal language English should instead be made the Official Host Language, this I believe would be acceptable to all.
For once let us request to the Authorities Concerned to let Merit Prevails and let the most deserving Language be crowned the Coveted Crown of ‘ The Official Host Language’ of the DD&AIR Station at Tuibong, Churachandpur. For a change let Merit be the criteria and not contacts and influences.
