I am searching for a new North East.
One that does not belong
One that fucks identities and borders
we create but respects
the idea of pluralism
That comes together breaking rules
race, religion, language, caste, tribes
ethnicity,dialects; one that
understands the relation between greed
and these lush green hills that are rapidly turning red
One that fucks Nationalists, Chauvinists, Middle class Bourgeoisie moralists.
A North East with a new generation of youth, who have taken off their clothes of morality and identities, shunned their baggage of a past,
a bad past, and has come to understand that in acceptance lies the key
Yes, I am looking for a new North East India
Looking for many rainy Shillong afternoons
just like it used to be. or, a thousand Silchar evenings
from pages of my history.
Let there be land reforms
Let there be labour rights, coal mine workers’ rights
Let there be minority and immigrant rights
Let there be more research on every ethnic group
Let every group have a place
Let more voices raise against mindless mining
and resource exploitation
Let there be love
Let there be inter caste, inter religious, inter ethnicity, inter lingual marriages
Let us know each other better
Let us sing each other’s songs
Eat each other’s food
Let us rage against the raging saffron middle class
Let there be love
Let there be love
I am looking for a new North East
A North East that sings:
Every language is beautiful
Every race angelic
Caste is a forged bigotry
Religion has no shame.