‘Tragic he was attacked for where he came from’: Rahul Gandhi at musician Chongtham’s tribute

Friends, family, fellow musicians and political leaders gathered in Delhi on Thursday to remember Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh, paying tribute to a guitarist remembered as a quiet, gifted musician who preferred his music to speak for him

Friends, family, fellow musicians and political leaders gathered in Delhi on Thursday to remember Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh, paying tribute to a guitarist remembered as a quiet, gifted musician who preferred his music to speak for him.

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi during a memorial service for late Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh, in New Delhi, Thursday. (PTI)

The 54-year-old, who had worked as a private music teacher in the national capital for 17 years, was severely injured in an alleged racial assault by a group of men near his home in Delhi’s Kilokari village on Sunday night. He later succumbed to injuries,

Singh’s killing had sparked safety concerns among members of the northeastern community and renewed discussions about discrimination faced by people from the region in the national capital.

Addressing the gathering, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said Singh’s death was tragic not only because a life had been lost, but also because he was allegedly attacked because of where he came from.

“It’s a tragedy that a young man has been murdered. It’s also a tragedy that he was attacked because of where he was from. It’s a tragedy for the people of Manipur,” Gandhi said. Referring to the loss suffered by Singh’s family, he said his son would never see his father again and his parents would never see their son.

Gandhi said the incident reflected violence, hatred and arrogance, but urged people not to respond with anger or hatred. “You don’t respond with anger, you don’t respond with hatred,” he said, adding that people should instead express themselves, defend the values they stood for and demonstrate their talent.

Former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh recalled the musical legacy Singh inherited from his family. He said Vikram’s mother, Chongtham Kamala, was a renowned performer with All India Radio in Imphal and that her music had deeply influenced her son.

“Vicky’s untimely demise is extremely shocking and tragic,” Ibobi Singh said, rejecting suggestions that speaking about the incident amounted to seeking political mileage. He said people from northeastern states continued to face discrimination in larger cities such as Delhi.