Chin rockstar Benjamin Sum’s ‘Aadhar’ card fuels refugee debate in Mizoram

It took a hazardous three-day trip for Benjamin Sum, an acclaimed singer, to cross the border from his home in Falam, Myanmar to Mizoram in 2021 when the military seized power. Within a few months, he gained popularity for his hit numbers across the local populace in Mizoram but since a few days back, he has become a topic of controversy. 

It was a soulful number titled Chhaili Di Lenna rendered by Sum that put the singer in the spotlight in Mizoram after he escaped the coup. Within a few hours, his video was on repeat in many households and now has over 4 million views on YouTube. He was a youth icon back home, the runner-up in a Myanmar idol contest and a household name. When the coup took place, he became one of the blacklisted celebrities whose staunch opposition to the military government stood out because he participated in rallies. However, Benjamin Sum in Mizoram became a sensation. While his name was blacklisted in Myanmar, in Mizoram, his name was on the hot list for concerts and festive events, the participation list was incomplete without the surname Sum printed on the banners. His songs topped the charts of local cable channels and Instagram accounts were set up by his fan base under the name ‘Summers.’

The controversy started three days ago when a journalist, Zmp Tlau, known for filing PILs and questioning government policies, shared a status titled, “This will be sorted today,” along with a screenshot of Benjamin Sum’s motor vehicle registration details.