IT News
Imphal, March 8: North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) has strongly condemned the rise in hooliganism and vendetta politics in the North-East since the BJP’s coming to power in several states. A statement of the forum said that the latest incident of destruction of Lenin’s statue in Tripura by BJP workers epitomizes such a rise.
“Lenin was a source of inspiration for the greatest Manipuri leader, Hijam Irabot who is revered as ‘Father of Manipur’ and the destruction of such a revolutionary’s statue is unprecedented in North-East. Destroying Lenin’s statue signifies falsification of Hijam Irabot’s revolutionary legacy and such sinister efforts might be even extended to Irabot in the coming future”, the statement said.
It further added that the North-East is comprised of different communities who have evolved a system wherein different thoughts co-exist with each other. The rise of BJP in the North-East threatens to destroy the delicate social fabric by pitting different communities against each other. Moreover, it should be known that different anti-colonial struggles in various parts of the world especially in India and its North-East were inspired by 1917 Russian Revolution, especially by Lenin. The struggle against monarchy in Manipur was inspired by Lenin and such a legacy continues to inspire people’s struggle in the North-East. It should also be noted that the former Soviet Union under the leadership of Lenin, had decolonized the colonies of Russia after the Russian Revolution.
The statement further said that such open destruction of Lenin’s statue reveals an attempt to silence different political views which co-exist in the North-East. The destruction of Lenin’s statue signifies an attack on people’s legacy of anti-colonial struggle. Hijam Irabot’s statues installed in different areas of Manipur may now become a site of attack from such powers that be who want to demolish his legacy. NEFIS while condemning the rise of vendetta politics had resolved to intensify its struggle for saving the revolutionary legacy of Hijam Irabot and his inspiration, Lenin.
