The Street Lights of North Eastern Hill University : A Ray of Hope in the Dark

In the street lights of North Eastern Hill University,
Hope and light doth shine in darkest hours,
Where workers protest with hunger strikes,
Led by the All NEHU Workers' Union,
In the cold and rainy night of June 2022.
For three months, our protest doth endure,
Through days and nights till August's end,
For Administration doth remain adamant,
To our demands untouched for thirty years,
A Herculean task for our Workers Union.

Many workers, more than three hundred strong,
Stood with us in the protest's early days,
But as time passed, they gave up one by one,
Till but fifty percent remained to carry on.
Excuses given, water poured on our fire,
Termination feared, and shame to stand up high,
Some chose the shadow in the cave, to tire
And give up, wanting us to do the same.

In the baranda, we stood and on the cold
Floor of Mother Earth, we slept through rainy days,
Leaking VC office baranda and cold nights,
Sleeping on our own mattresses, like in refugee camps.
But in these hard times, we found joy and light,
Forgetting hardships and sacrifices,
Eating Kwai and Tynpew, showing red teeth and tongue,
Marking revolution with every bite.

Our men smoked Duma dih, Duma Kyllain, Ka Smuk,
Marking their presence and spirit, while our women
Chewed Duma Sla and Khani, showing their strength.
We found a silver lining in the midst of winter,
Bonding as a tribe, like the street lights of the University.

Though they may seem useless and powerless,
They light our nights of protest and guide us through the moonlight.
Let the world underestimate and see us weak,
For we will find a way to light the dark night
Of our struggle for workers' rights in the University.
Our fighting spirit shall never fade away,
In the face of poison, we shall stay humble and organised,
Let our lights shine through day and dark night.
For in the end, we shall not let our fights and struggles be forgotten,
But rise like the phoenix from the ashes, victorious.
We shall fight till we win,
For victory is written on the walls of our sacrifice and minds.
Nothing shall stop us, now and forevermore.