2015 is marked as the year of 100th birth centenary of Rani Ma Gaidinliu commemorated by the Government of India. India with her sense of noble pride and Royal honor pay homage to the departed brave soul of the Naga lady. India has displayed a great sense of humanity by act of recognizing and respecting freedom fighters thereby gained her status and added value as the world class civilized nation.
Little act of recognition and respect of human person can ignite the world to shine brighter each time such human dignity and respect is practiced and promoted. Marking the year 2015 by inscribing the image of Ranima in Indian coin as token of Indian pride and honour is indeed an act of recognition at the same time revealing the true heart of the nation.
India recognized Gaidinliu as a fearless Indian freedom fighter who in her early age of 13 joined the rebel movement against the British in part of the North east region. She had eye witnessed a gruesome assassination, the hanging of the rebel leader Jadonang when she was 16 years of age. She too was implicated of the charge with Jadonang but somehow or by fortune escaped the execution but sentenced for life imprisonment and so wanted and hunted. The incidence must have enraged her with stronger determination and aspiration to fight the foe of the alien forces. She soon underwent a disappearance exile to jungle hideout for a deep meditational strategy for mass rebellion movement. Later she organized her people militia near and around Hangrum Village now in NC Hills and attacked the British Assam riffles outpost on 16th March 1932. She was hunted with a price tag of Rs.500/- for any who could fine her whereabouts. After intense search she was arrested on 19th October 1932 at poilwa village. She was jailed for 15 years and release after India Independent in 1947.
A call to reason and respect
Every great leader of the past and present suffers criticism, contempt and condemnation of the common people in their time. Rumours against and about them spread wide to far extend. This is the cruelty mindset of mankind. Jadonang and Gaidinliu too suffered such criticism in their time even rejection to this day. A.Z. Phizo too suffered much opposition yet he stood his stand firm unto his end. It is humane to honour and pay high homage to our past heroes and heroins for their patroitics deeds that rewards us today in the form of freedom we enjoy. Had there been no such fighters and defender of our land, will other nation regard us?
It is not wise and right to reject or criticize our leaders pointing out only their failing and limitations. Every great leader will be opposed. Jesus the Messiah in his time was rejected, condemned and crucified. Gautama Budha and his professed religion was rejected and was exiled. Joan of Arc (1412-31) a peasant girl of Domrem france claimed to have heard the voice of God urging her to help the Dauphin Charles VII to regain the throne from the English. She was accused as a sorcerer and heretic by the clergical and was at last burnt to death. Girolamo Savonarola (1452-98) an Italian religious reformer, thought himself to be inspired by God who attacked against the corruption and vices of the church and state of Florence. He prophesied that God’s punishment would fall upon Italian. He was excommunicated by Alexander VI and hanged in the market place and was burnt to death as a heretic. John Wycliffe of England a keen detector of error and a religious reformer of his time was considered heretic and executed. Many to name in thousand who tried to reform and change the world to be a better place to live in were rejected and terminated them by the people of the time. Mahatma Gandhi was hated and his life attempted by his own countrymen and succumbed in the hand to the rejecters. Great leaders are always endangered by their own people. Rani Gaidinliu was rejected, accused and denied by her own people and the general Nagas in her time because she was doing something extraordinary or uncommon to the society. Therefore she struggled hard to save her own life from her own people at the same time struggling to free and save her people who hated and hunted her life, from the bondage of foreign forces. Many undue allegations and accusations were meted against her as if they could do better than her. This is indeed cruelty against humanity. Disrespectful, spiteful and disdainful languages and attempts were and are still being projecting against her; discrediting her good works and visionary path trodden for freedom of humanity. Nevertheless, nature would still work its own course to accomplish what must be done to the present and future humanity. It is also unjust on the part of some who are only trying to take advantage of Ranima by projecting schemes and privileges in her name for selfish gain. Some even have attempted and claimed possession of her by suffixing Zeliang against her name as Gaidinliu Zeliang. It is a theft of identity and a crime. It must be avoided, withdrawn and corrected so as her name stands unquestionable. She is recognized as a Naga lady freedom fighter. She herself did not claim or assert her tribal identity to be recognized. She possessed a pure form of character as national leader like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, or any national or world leaders who never suffix their name with their local tribal identity. I am aware that, some few readers of this article may criticize or dislike me for writing positive points about Ranima Gaidinliu or any other leaders. I do it with a conviction and intention that; humanity must practice and promote, justice, peace, appreciation, gratefulness and recognition of each others’ presence, work and interest as equal and common citizens of this world. Every individual is responsible to promote and protect the welfare of one and the whole of the society. Let us consider what Albert Einstein said, “If we want to improve the world we cannot do it with scientific knowledge but with ideals. Confucius, Buddha, Jesus and Gandhi have done more for humanity than science has done. We must begin with the heart of man—with his conscience—and the values of conscience can only be manifested by selfless service to mankind.”
A view on current Socio-political perspective
G. Gwangphun.
