Like humanity is the naturally adorned attire of humans regardless of any community or creed; inhumanity too follows the same trend regardless of community, creed or racial distribution. In the era of scientific marvels, where humans are capable of finding the solution to every fact through rigorous research and exploration and the earth has been a land of deep and widespread discoveries, how inhumanity can put an end to the fame the world has earned through centuries is insane to see and believe. Mob lynching in the name of superstition, religious sentiments etc. are some of the forms of the naturally adored characteristic of some humans with inhumanity in their blood and who are meant to defame the world of humans.
How mother Assam’s glory of rich heritage with hundreds of community and cultural niche is facing a grotesque shaking has recently been well observed by every human rooted to this region or in the country at large. In international purview too, the brutal killing of Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath in the Dokmoka region of Karbi Anglong district of Assam has created a significant scene through mass protests in countries like Russia.
But, the root of such evils on earth should be well understood. It is not any specific land, where inhumanity lives; it is the whole world, where such notoriety exists. Superstition, known as one of the reasons for the brutal killing, thus, has come to the focus of everyone’s eyes. Brutal killing due to superstition, witchcraft, communal sentiments, religion etc. have become so abundant in the world today that we are in dire need of stopping such waves from attacking us.
If an analysis is made, one very common thing comes to the notice, which is the spread of rumours by digital communication. Although the percentage of internet penetration in India has been significantly less compared to other countries of the world, what we have is more than enough to create any major or minor social havoc through mismanaged communication. Therefore, the government should take necessary action to wash off digital illiteracy.
Another important feature to bring positivity to a land where superstition exists is the strengthening of the administrative and policing framework. Hilly areas, riverine shores, remote areas etc. with sparsely distributed population need a better understanding by the administration. Most of the times, it is believed that due to lack of social interaction between police, administration and local people, such incidents of mob lynching get created. Through such pathetic condition of humans, where freedom in the movement in our own motherland has become scary, our administrative and policing framework should learn how unsuccessful they are in safeguarding the state and should remember that the necessary action needs to be taken.
Apart from administrative support, some independent initiatives the educational institutions, societies, NGOs, clubs etc. should be taken, where regular hosting of public meetings in the areas prone to superstition is of utmost need. The Gaonburha, leaders of the Gram Panchayat, eminent figures etc. should be well involved in the journey, where appeals should be made in the cultural, artistic, literary forms.
Another ground shaking incident of inhumanity happened in the district of Karbi Anglong in the years 2013, where a young boy called Jhankar Saikia was brutally killed in the Diphu town. It is worrisome to believe that the culprits involved in the said incident have not yet been punished and the process of justice is being delayed. Delaying the justice process not only gives a scope to increase of such incidents involved in inhumanity but also stands as a threat to the system called ‘law’.
Communal hegemony is another very striking feature which happens after the mob lynching that the administration, social structure, institutions should take to nullify. It has come to the notice that natives of Karbi Anglong district spread across various corners of Assam are under the threat of some social culprits whose prime aim is to create a notorious fame in the socio-political framework of Assam. Defaming the entire community for the few being convicted of mob lynching is another worrisome action of inhumanity, which has every possibility to abrade off the little breathe we have to inhale in the world of humans.
Peaceful mass protests in the appeal of justice for the departed souls have a great role to play in the said incident. It is the duty of artists, writers, cultural activists and other social heroes of all fields to assemble on one common ground in search of justice. Not only that, welfare organizations of the state should be so active in this ground that they are able to pressurize the system to come out with a strict judgment. And the appeal should be sustainable and ground shaking. Hope the concerned authorities hear our voices and wash off inhumanity by giving justice to the departed souls.
The writer is an MTech student of Assam Engineering College, Guwahati.