This Is Why FIRs Filed Against 10 ‘Miya’ Poets

miya

As the sun sets in the West, North and South India, FIRs have been issued against 10 poets of North East who basically belong to the Bengali – Muslim community. FIR has been lodged against them for writing a specific type of poetry named “Miya” poetry which has recently seen the light of the dawn in the North East. Miya poetry is the type of poetry which is written directly against the ominous acts of the government, like Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Poets pen poems which speak of those who suffer for the policies of the government and herein, the poets have been arrested for writing poems which speak of the sufferings of the people in the North East due to Citizenship Amendment Bill or NRC. Under every authority whose main motive was to commit genocide, the first thing they curbed was free speech in the form of poetry, stories and novellas. Hitler burned books which subsequently demolished ideals and that was just a consequence of his authoritarian rule. Poets and authors were jailed, sent in exile, killed, and murdered for they made others feel the sufferings of the oppressed. The same situation is going on in our nation and here is the picture of the incoming genocide, as poets get arrested for standing with the oppressed ones.

Following is one of the poems, for which an FIR has been registered against 10 people, mostly Bengali -origin Muslim Assamese poets and activists who write in a dialect colloquially called the ‘Miya’ dialect.

Write
write Down
I am a Miya
My serial number in NRC is 200543
I have two children
Another is coming
In the next summer,
would you hate him
As you hate me?
write
I am a Miya
I turned waste, Marshy land,
To green paddy field,
To feed you,
I carry brick
To build your building,
Drive your car
For your comfort,
I clean your drain,
To keep you healthy.
I have always been
In your service
Even then
you are dissatisfied!

write down
I am a Miya,
A citizen of a democratic, secular, Republic
Without any right,
My mother has been made a D voter,
Though her parents are Indian,
If you wish you can kill me, drive me away from my village,
Snatch away my green field,
The Roller of you
Can roll over me,
Your bullets
Can shatter my breast,
Without any punishment.

Write
I am a Miya
living on the Brahamaputra
Tolerating your torture,
My body has turned black,
My eyes red with fire.

Be Aware!
I have nothing but anger in stock.
keep away!
Or
Turn to Ashes.

Kabir Deb is a published writer and poet. Born in Haflong and completed his Masters on Life Sciences from Assam University. His work has been published from different national and international magazine like Different Truths, Counter Currents, Reviews, Cafe Dissensus, Spillwords magazine and his works rely on political activisvm.


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