Guwahati: The last rites of renowned Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh were performed in Imphal on Wednesday after his mortal remains were flown in from Delhi around noon.Family members and friends described his death as a major loss for Manipur and the music fraternity. His younger brother, Chongtham Vivek Singh, urged govt to ensure that people from the Northeast are “properly treated as Indians” in the national capital.“It’s a sad moment right now, but let’s see what God has for us and the people of Manipur and Northeast people who have been suffering out there in the Delhi capital of India,” Vivek said in Imphal while receiving the body at the airport.“And it’s a very shocking and a big loss for us, not only for the family, for the music fraternity and all the people who were with him during those school and education days. It’s a very big loss for us, actually,” he added.The mortal remains were taken from Imphal International Airport to the family home in a vehicle carrying banners that read, “Justice for Brutal Killing of Chongtham Vikram” and “Down with Racism”.A large number of fans, well-wishers and prominent citizens gathered at the airport and outside Vikram’s residence to mourn his death.Speaking to the media, Vivek said: “Want to say is simple. We just want to get justice, that’s all. Not only justice, we need to create an atmosphere in the capital of India to make sure that people who are coming from the Northeast are treated properly and as an Indian, you know what I mean.”He said justice was needed to provide peace of mind to Vikram’s family, friends and others close to him.Inner Manipur MP Bimal Akoijam, who described Vikram as his “beloved brother”, visited the musician’s elderly parents. In a social media post, Akoijam said Vikram’s mother, Oja Kamala, was a legendary singer of Manipur.“Vikram is not the first, and I am afraid, despite my wish, will not be the last who fell victim to the contemptuous outlook towards people from my part of the world and the violence against them. To date, I have not only seen it but also personally faced it in one form or the other…,” Akoijam wrote.He further wrote, “Like people who are governed by a “state of exception”, whose bodies are “bare lives”, unprotected by norms and laws which are withdrawn, and therefore they can be abused, humiliated, assaulted and killed with impunity… It’s so painful to see such violence for decades since my student days…Vikram, your life shall not go in vain. Trust me!”
