Indian Football Team defender Chinglensana Singh relived the horrors of Manipur Violence faced by his family. His description of how his family dealt with the difficulties and the damage they sustained left the people stunned.
“I had a match in Kerala when I got a lot of missed calls from home. I called back and my mom told me about the things that were happening. The burning houses, the gunshots, the attacks. They were really scared for their lives but the night passed and they were helped by the Indian army,” Chinglensana said to NDTV.
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Sana was in Kozhikode for an AFC Cup play-off match against Mohun Bagan when ethnic violence erupted. Chinglensana also discovered that his house had been destroyed in the turmoil. His parents had to seek safety in a relief camp after their escape before he could travel back to Manipur.
“Something like this has never happened. It was a scary moment and we were all crying. For a moment, I thought this was the last time that I was on the line with them,” he added.
“My parents had a business together and they also built a house for us. Whatever the family ever had, it is all gone now. We still cannot go back and there is no place that we can call home now.”
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The scenario also had an impact on the footballer’s professional career, since he was scheduled to join the national camp on May 15. However, prior of the Intercontinental Cup, he opted to withdraw. When questioned about it, Chinglensana stated unequivocally that he desired to be with his parents following the horrible encounter. Igor Stimac, the head coach, and the AIFF both backed him up.
“Mentally, it was difficult for me to understand what my parents have faced. I decided to put football on hold and stay beside them. I told the coach about the situation and both him and the AIFF general secretary were quite understanding about my situation,” he concluded.
A court verdict in March awarded the majority Meitei scheduled caste status, sparking the violence. It gave them the same economic advantages and quotas in government employment and education as the Kuki minority. It also enabled Meiteis to purchase land in the highlands, where the Kukis dominated. This fueled their anxieties of losing their lands, jobs, and chances.
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