Prayer held for Nido Taniam

 Picture courtesy indiatoday.in

A memorial prayer was held in the chapel yesterday at 1:00 P.M. for Nido Taniam, who was subjected to a brutal assault by certain shopkeepers in Delhi after a altercation which started over Nido being made fun of for his looks. The prayer attended by several students and faculty members emphasised on why it is important to not just pray and remember Nido but to change our racist mind set and include every citizen of this country in what we do. The prayer reminded everyone that we have to love each other and celebrate our differences. Dr. Evangeline lead the prayer and was assited by Mr. Raja Samuel.

Mr. Rochhuahthanga Jongte (RC, MTh II) gave a reflection on the murder which has highlighted the plight of women and men from different states of North East India. He said, ""Many of us in India have made “difference” a crime. What was Nido’s crime? Being different was his crime. Different from whom? Different from the majority who dictates what it means to be normal. To those people, to be different is a sin! Jesus lived, worked and died for the cause of building a colourful society, yet evil forces are interested only in a single unified colour!" He further said "My blood boils, I shiver out of anger... (May be it's too early to come to a conclusion, which I really don't care much)...but this I will say, in Bangalore I've been mocked at even by children...why? BECAUSE I AM DIFFERENT...different from whom? The so-called "mainland" Indians, which implies that we Northeasterners are not of the mainland...I still remember the infamous episode which is reffered to as the Northeast Exodus in 2012... The authorities claim that the sms threats and the rumours were "false," ok fine, let's accept that they are false indeed, but I will tell you one thing that's truly real, and which results in the massive exodus...that is FEAR, my friend. The FEAR was REAL !!"

This was followed by Jongte's final tribute when he said "Adios, Nido Taniam! May your soul rest in peace and may God's peace be with all those dear to you... At least in the New Heaven and the New Earth IT WOULDN'T BE A CRIME TO HAVE BLONDE HAIR OR TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE MAJORITY WHO DICTATES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE NORMAL...THERE WE WILL NOT BE KILLED, DISCRIMINATED AND MOCKED AT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENTLY-SHAPED NOSE OR EYES, OR BECAUSE WE HAILED FROM A DIFFERENT REGION WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT NOT WELL-KNOWN OR RICH OR POWERFUL !!IS IT A SIN TO BE DIFFERENT OR NOT TO BE POWERFUL??" and "Let this be our remembrance of Nido Taniam – to strive for a colourful society, a rainbow nation, where having differently-shaped noses or eyes is no longer a crime worthy of death penalty. May Nido’s death due to his difference open our eyes to see the beauty and joy of difference and celebrate life in all its colourful beauty. Rest in peace Nido Taniam, and may the rest of us start living and fighting!"

JK