Editorial – Page 60 – Manipur News

Ethical Voting and National Voters` Day

Leader Writer: Kshetrimayum Sopen India celebrates today the fourth National Voter’s Day with the theme of ‘Ethical Voting’ across the country in coordination with the various state Chief Electoral Officers and for this purpose, the Election Commission of India had … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Kshetrimayum Sopen

India celebrates today the fourth National Voter’s Day with the theme of ‘Ethical Voting’ across the country in coordination with the various state Chief Electoral Officers and for this purpose, the Election Commission of India had already asked all the CEOs of States and Union Territories that ECI would like to review the preparedness, arrangement and progress with regard to the celebration of the National Voter’s Day through Video Conference with the CEOs. National Voter’s Day is started from January 25, 2011.

The ECI also reviewed the status of Summary Revision reporting format as given on PGR portal, appointment of Campus Ambassador, submission of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation which is known as SVEEP Plan for the ensuing Lok Sabha 2014 etc.

The level of awareness in Manipur of the national voter’s day seems to be very low as compare with other states of India. For this matter, Utter Pradesh can be cited as an example. Utter Pradesh government has prepared to celebrate national voters’ day for one week starting from January 18. As of January 24, media community in Manipur has not received invitation of organising national voter’s day in the state from the CEO Manipur. And also Manipur media has no knowledge of inducting any celebrity/icon as Ambassador for this purpose as ECI has asked state CEOs to engage cultural or sport icon as ambassador. There may be reason for not implementing the ECI instruction but the reason should be made known to public as the service of the government is accountable to people.

And more importantly, the theme of this year’s national voter’s day “Ethical Voting” is worth reporting as it is almost absent in any level of election starting from college to parliament in the present Manipur society. The people of Manipur are only active in the time election, and after election they forget about the election. They are then waiting for another election to come so that they could have money. The practice of accepting money for vote in the assembly and parliamentary election is so transparent in Manipur that everybody knows how many amounts one voter gets from one candidate in an Manipur assembly election.

In such social and political back ground, the awareness for ethical voting has a lot of meaning. Apart from Manipur government and state CEO, the awareness and advocacy of ethical voting must be taken by the regional and left political parties operating in the state as they are projected themselves as people friendly and at the same time less money power as compare with the national political parties of the country. It is noteworthy to mention here the report of National Election Watch that the national political parties get donation from the MNC and also have foreign funding in terms of crores of rupees which will ultimately use for winning elections held across the country. Then the political party which gets funding from MNC will govern the country in the interest of the MNC, not for the people of the country.

However, there emerges an awakened citizen across the country and they endeavour for a changed India. One example of such awakening India is the movement of Anna Hazare who movement against corruption and his fight has changed government and politics in the capital of India and other parts of the country. Such wave of awakened citizen of the country fails to reach the mind of the people of Manipur.

One important point worth mentioning here is the absence of people-hood in Manipur which means that Manipuri remains as subject.

The Momoko Affair

In a way, it is heartening to learn that a section of the Anal populace have admitted that the Momoko incident was a passage in a guide book and not part of the syllabus for graduation course prescribed by Manipur University. On the other hand, it was extremely disconcerting to come across the news that the Naga Students’ Union, (Chamdil) had asked the concerned author to tender an apology to the Naga communities and warned of agitation if he is not punished (by the MU) even after his expression of readiness to retract the contentious portion covering two lines.

The events following the alleged assault of the young actress during the fag end of 2012 by an NSCN-IM leader was marked by social unrest and was not indeed a proud moment for the state. It opened a Pandora box culminating in an unwanted stand-off between the protestors and the administration and heightened the risk of misunderstandings between different religious groups during the festive season of the Christian community. Above all, the life of a dutiful journalist was lost in the line of duty felling to bullets of the state security force. The demands for arrest of the alleged perpetrator steadily weakened and was soon forgotten after the realisation that the rigmarole of administration was the major block to attainment of justice. The molestation case had been pushed into the back of our minds. The accepted, if unrevealed, understanding among all is that the unruly behaviour of a stoned rebel should not be allowed to push a wedge into the cordial relationship between different communities. After considering of the whole story, it is worth pondering whether the use of the ‘ugly incident’ as an exemplification is significant enough to be persistently brought up in the media and exposed for another round of public debate. The Anal community has the right to oppose the inclusion of the unwanted episode in the book. However, after the author of the guide book himself clarified that he had no intention of hurting their sentiments and agreed to retract that part from his book, it was unfair to be adamant on demanding punishment and making wild charges against one and all including the journalist fraternity.

The Anal community can boycott the book and even huddle with other organisations to ensure that the book has no buyers. Unwanted aggression is unwarranted and tantamount to over-exposition of a trivial issue. The accused in the Momoko molestation case is still at large and the episode that rakes up a lot of controversies and tested the limit of our tolerance has not still been closed. The union and the community leaders should accept the apology from the author and believe his words on leaving out the ‘controversial lines.’

Quit and Win

Winners never quit? In many ways, the lone representative from Manipur at the Rajya Sabha Rishang Keishing is the most illustrious political leader from the state, even at the ripe age of 95 years. At the moment he is the oldest Parliamentarian and deserves a massive celebration when his term expires in April, 2014. Talks about his continuation for another five-year term is doing round. It is not within our jurisdiction to decide whether he should continue working and it will be overprotective and insulting for us to make suggestion about what is best for him and prevent him from doing what he wishes.

Rishang had been an enigma and there are few politicians in the states, within and outside his party, who can compare to his political acumen and achievement. He did not officially apply for consideration as the Congress party’s candidate but if the chief minister and the MPCC chief endorse his candidature (in line with the content of a news report) then there is no stopping his re-appointment. But the pertinent question is whether his election will benefit the state or will his conscience be in agreement. Around twenty active party members, including a sitting MLA, had forwarded their names for the post. Many of them are younger persons in the heights of their careers and capable of running the job on their own rights. The standpoints of the top leaders of the Congress party, which is sure of beating the competition with 42 MLAs, are bewildering if the reports are correct. There is no dearth of capable leaders in the party and choosing one among them could be considered as a well-earned rest for the nonagenarian leader. From the perspective of health, with people considering 65 years as the ideal time for retirement, the former chief minister has surpassed people who are thirty years younger. There is no ground to consider the argument for his retirement as a reprimand for the elderly. Also, with a young leader (Rahul Gandhi) being appointed as the campaign-in-chief for the Lok Sabha elections, the party should be freeing more places for its younger leaders and providing them good opportunities for growth. Many young leaders in the party had suffered from the party’s tradition of waiting for elder respected leaders to retire in order to progress along the ladder. The advantage of this argument is that it will allow newer ideas to be infused in the discussion for the welfare of the party.

Rishang has literally seen a lot of ups and downs in his political careers, from being a die-hard socialist leader, which he represented in the 1952 and 1962 Lok Sabha, and forsaking its ideologies to join the INC. He never parted company with the party since the mid 60s, even when he was left alone due to the ‘coup’ by Nipamacha in 1998. Rishang had enemies, even inside his own party. After his surprising defeat in the 2001 Manipur Assembly election, he faced marginalization and his nomination to the Rajya Sabha despite his growing difference with chief minister Okram Ibobi in 2002 was linked to his closeness to the Gandhis. It was a graceful distancing act from state politics. Of course, when he was re-nominated for the same position in 2008, it was admittedly due to the insistence of Sonia Gandhi. Rishang is well-respected and highly proficient in his job even now and brings valuable advantage of experience to the party. However, if other leaders are not given the opportunity now it will be far more difficult to encourage them later and the party need to think of the long term good of the party.

Kidnapping for Ransom

Kidnapping for ransom is simply a business. Some say it is the second oldest business. Evidently, it has become a thriving business in Manipur with several cases being reported in this month of January itself. Moreover, a large number of cases have not been reported to the authorities as the people lacked faith on the latter’s capabilities to secure the safe release of the hostages and the police are weak. In several cases police were discovered to have been involved themselves for making money on the side. To make a conservative estimate, the kidnapping and ransom business in Manipur must be worth crores and crores of rupees. The number of cases has exploded during the last ten years or so, coinciding with the rise in unemployment and the easy availability of guns.

Speaking at the Statehood Day observation, deputy chief minister Gaikhangam tried to identify a distinct pattern in the abduction cases that had taken place in the recent past. Giving his observation, Gaikhangam, who also holds the home department and the post of MPCC president, stated that the perpetrators are mostly from the hills and the victims from the valley. Hence, he stressed on the possible impact it can have on relations between different communities. Coincidentally, on the same day, the Saikul branch of the Kuki Inpi, an influential social organisation in the hill districts, conducted a press conference appealing for the release of a labourer from Thoubal district from the captivity of hill-based militants. Gaikhangam’s primary concern on maintaining cordial relationship among the hills and plain dwellers is in the right place. But, the kidnappers are not driven by communal motives. The kidnappings appear to be mostly crimes of opportunity, not hate. The kidnapped persons are either labourers or drivers who work under contractors and vehicle owners perceived to have the capacity to raise the large amounts in quick time.

As a community leader and the chief of a political party, Gaikhangam’s appeal does have a point – refrain from rousing the sentiments of another community. Otherwise, as he heads the operation of the home department, it would have been more uplifting for the shrinking public morale if he had instead talked about steps to stop the kidnappers or bringing them to justice and controlling the spike in kidnapping cases. The administration looked to have by and large ignored the point of catching the criminals and indirectly allowed payment of ransom most of the times. The reasoning of the victim’s family in such circumstances is very clear. Why risk lives by defying the demands of the abductors and contacting the authorities? Militants, who are the perpetrators in most cases, are operating with impunity and police have in the past done little to help other victims in similar situations. How many of us really share the belief that the kidnappers will even ponder over the minister’s sermon? The stark truth is that kidnapping is simply business for them. And the ease with which they are piling up the dough, the safety of scores of manual labour, drivers and officials minding their business in the peripheries of Imphal and interior areas of the state has been put into serious question.

Fallen From Grace

Boxer Dingko’s career as a coach has run into trouble before getting a chance to even take off. After his unwarranted and brutal assault of three students, the man idolised as the first great boxer who brought laurels for the Manipur has been slapped with criminal charges for intending voluntarily causing hurt and assault or use of criminal force on a woman. On the other hand, the Sports Authority of India has suspended him as coach pending the probe by a committee it had constituted and notified that necessary action will be taken up against him as per the panel’s report.
Dingko was the inspiration of thousands of young girls and boys and they took to the ring to emulate his achievement. The tragic irony is now none of the boxing prodigies is likely to consider coming under the tutelage after his exhibition of recklessness and impulsiveness. The turnaround of events is a saddening occurrence in our quest for more glory at the national and international scenario in the boxing arena. According to reports, Dingko apparently has not settled down to his new job yet. After quitting the Indian Navy, the coaching job at SAI Imphal Centre was supposed to be his first assignment. Having travelled the world and locked horns with the best boxers and granted the service of the best available coaches and training technologies, he must have set personal dreams to chase in his new avatar as coach upon the thoughts of touching down on his home soil. The experienced boxer and the countless raw talents available in Manipur would have definitely emerged as a fruitful combination. Very much like he used to wrest bouts from his opponents corners with brief burst of fury releasing a series of lethal punches, the pugilist might well have ruined all his dreams in a single spurt of rage. Having fought even for basic needs during his impoverished childhood, underlined by him being tossed at an orphanage, Dingko should be well-versed with the harsh facts of life. However, even with his familiarity with adversities, the separation from his fans is capable to churn his inner feelings and take him down on a deep abyss of despair. Is this the complete downfall of one of the superstars of Manipur?

Had the incident happened two or three decades back, the ace boxer might probably have escaped with a reprimand. But, physical assault of innocent individuals, particularly those against women and child, are receiving due coverage in the media – irrespective of whether they are victims of excesses by the security personnel, armed militants, or domestic violence. The increased attention from the media augurs well in keeping crime down by intimidating possible offenders with the fear of public exposures. It appeared to be a well established fact that Dingko had mercilessly canned the three young athletes. Subsequently, legal proceedings had been initiated and the boxer was ordered into judicial remand. Moreover, if the prosecution (or the panel’s reports) ends up proving Dingko’s criminal intent, then his illustrious past records would prove too little too less in saving his job. The moment will be saddening indeed but justice must prevail. The whole episode had fallen down out of the blue and painted our world in shades of shock and disbelief. There is nothing for us to do except wait for the legal proceedings to commence and follow wherever course it takes us. What actually transpired between the boxer and the girls will unfold steadily, plus there will be witnesses taking the stand including their parents and the medical persons who attend to them for the judge to determine the gravity of his offence. But most importantly, Manipur will be observing how Dingko conduct himself in the aftermath of his most deplorable action. Unnecessarily crying for his rigorous imprisonment, renaming of a street or pronouncing the end of his coaching career should be held back as of yet. People need chances to show repentance. The robber Ratnakar took the opportunity to become the great sage Valmiki. Calling for his blood will tantamount to kicking a fallen man down to the dust. Let us pray that Dingko reforms his behaviours like a champion.

Fate of state indigenous games

Leader Writer: Mayanglambam Jemchandra Singh

Manipur is famous in the sporting arena not only in the country but throughout the world. But it is not just because this little state has produced several Olympians and sportspersons, but because it has also contributed the game of polo amongst several others to the world. But, in the absence of encouragement, the indigenous game of the state like Yubi Lakpi, Mukna etc is fading away day by day. Only a few are trying to upkeep the indigenous games.

The Japanese still preserve the sumo wrestlers by maintaining all requirements of their daily lives from meals to their manner of dressing. Such mannerism greatly impacted the sport`s ability to attract new recruits. But what about our state’s indigenous game, no one is taking care of the games. Last year on November 27, a day before the final match of 7th Manipur Polo International during the Sangai Festival, exhibition matches of the traditional games such as Yubi Lakpi, Mukna-kangjei and Mukna were showcased at Mapal Kangjeibung. Even the uniformity of the players dresses including colour were not properly maintained. One of the players of Mukna shared his feeling that even our local media is not supporting our indigenous game. Such is the state of our indigenous games in the state.

As for the younger generation, we should promote such indigenous games and not only put them in as part of the school syllabus for the children, but they should encouraged practically also. It’s great to have such indigenous games, as it also help us to tell our identity to the outside world like as the Japanese do with Sumo wrestling. We should be proud of our traditional games. We have lost many things even our written records, so as a Manipuri we have to do more and more than others in order to compete with them whether in the field of sports, education or any other. It’s necessary to preserve our indigenous games, it will help the younger generation to understand, how our forefathers lived and played in the past. Now, all such games are seen only during Lai Harouba that also in some of the rural areas.

Even if it is late, the state government has taken certain steps to save the pony, like the pony farm at Marjing hills, likewise for other indigenous games, also the government should have taken some certain steps to save as well as promote our indigenous games.

Driving Force

One of the unsung heroes of modern Manipur is our transporters – the drivers of carrier trucks and oil-tankers. Being a land-locked region with no access to rail lines they are our constant support for ferrying supplies of essential commodities and oil from government storages into the state. However, the value of their service extends manifolds due to the inherent problems of road blockage faced along the routes. Some of the problems can be enumerated as rough terrain, hostile activities by native people residing along the highways, coercion and extortion by plethora of militants and other people on their behalf and frequent and long-lasting bandhs and blockades. Many drivers and helpers sacrificed their lives in the line of duty yet their compatriots continue to serve the people with unflinching royalty and valor in difficult circumstances. Compelling sense to acknowledge the significance of their contribution have been felt during taxing times arising from seasonal inaccessibility of the highways, bandhs and blockades and major damages to bridges and landslides. But otherwise they never received the amount of gratitude from the administration or the public that they so right deserved.

Recalling their invaluable shares in fulfilling our day to day affairs will be appropriate with the memory of the recent Drivers’ Day celebration still lingering. True, every profession has its own hazards and special offerings. Soldiers defend our frontiers, the police guards our lives and properties, doctors and nurses provide us with health-care and so on. Every profession carries its own weight and grading them one above the other on any basis will be unfair. Yes, freight service is a thriving business and earns money for the vehicles owners and the drivers and helpers. Having said that the society should be sensitive to our fellow brethrens who had time and again stepped out from their normal line of duties in dire circumstances when our state was on the brink of disasters, facing scarcity of oil, medicines and food grains and even staring at the prospect of starvation due to natural causes like landslides, heavy rain etc or due to foolhardy blocking of the highways and bandhs enforced by organisations without the mandate of the people. The drivers have earned our respect and adulation for the intrepidness and compliance with which they responded to the call of the hours, putting their lives and vehicles in danger.

The administration should understand that the drivers have been carrying out their duties with great responsibilities not only for themselves and their families but for the whole state. Scores of drivers are being tortured, humiliated and heart-broken for no fault of theirs each day along the highways. It is high time for the administration to wake up and take steps to ensure normal working conditions by listening to their grievances and talking to their counterparts in the neighboring states.

Superfine Rice and Impositions

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba An interesting thought keeps nagging on the back of the mind without any clear conclusive as of yet. The news which media carries is indeed information for the public and plays a vital role in shaping … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba

An interesting thought keeps nagging on the back of the mind without any clear conclusive as of yet. The news which media carries is indeed information for the public and plays a vital role in shaping public opinion. But, is the news which is carried in the media in the interest of the public or sometimes detrimental? One feels that much has to be filtered through the sieve before being printed in black and white or being broadcast through the different electronic mediums of mass communication.

Lately, there has been news of particular organizations imposing their stance on the way that books should be written, that there should be no ‘lonyan’ in it. What the word actually means and what constitutes lonyan is also vague. Does it mean that Meiteis have our own script and dialect and whatever we write or speak should be limited to that which we have? That we should only use the words which were spoken by our ancestors and in the way the Puyas, the ancient text of the Meiteis were written. The stance that the books having lonyan should not be eligible for literary awards takes the cake. In the furtherance of ethnic revivalism, imposition on creativity borders dictating Pablo Picasso which colors to use, a William Wordsworth to use only specific words, or Pavarotti not to raise his vocal pitch then a certain octave. Such stance may implode within the own community and alienate ourselves among ourselves only.

A film maker had mentioned in a premiere show some time back that his film could not be released for further public viewing in the state. This was due to the fact that a film society did not approve of some words used in his film. However, the film was already certified by the Central Board of Film Certification. It should be introspected by the concerned that clamping a ban on artistic expression borders more on Talibanization rather than in furtherance of ethnic revivalism. This simply cannot be in the interest of the artists or for the public.

Our state being a multi-ethnic one, it should always be kept in mind that the interest of one community cannot be imposed on the others. When the ‘social scientists’ don their decision making gowns, it should be done so with an interest for holistic benefit and not for a singularized community. A decision made from the spine and not with sound rationale in the past has proved more to polarize the communities rather than bringing ethnic resurgence.

They say, there is nothing permanent like change and change will come in all hues. Some years down, trains will run through the state and opening up vast opportunities. On the flip side, the train may also bring unwanted elements and even put the dominant ethnic communities at risk of becoming minority groups. The Inner Line Permit issue can be a viable precaution in filtering and checking migrant population and certain steps may be taken up to safeguard the interest of the indigenous population. However, the steps to be taken up should be with a visionary approach and only as a conclusive of proper dialectics. Addressing issues by concerned stakeholders from time to time and not with a wholehearted spirit and treated as a ‘rechargeable issue’ will only stagnate participation from the masses.

It should be known that paddy is cultivated in both the hills and valley. If one is told to eat only a particular variety, say for the Meitei community to eat only Moirang paddy and not superfine rice in furtherance of ethnic revival. Here, the interesting thoughts keep nagging on the back of the head, but best felt that what one wants to eat and how should be left to the taste of the individuals.

Natural Leader (for the INC)

After dropping a series of hints, the Congress party appeared to have cleared its stand on anointment of Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate for the Lok Sabha elections. In an interview with a national Hindi daily, Rahul had said he is ‘ready to take up whatever responsibilities given by the party’, inviting media to add up recent events draw the conclusion that the Gandhi scion has been readied to be the ‘face of the party’ ahead of the election. The formal announcement has been speculated to happen during the AICC meeting scheduled on January 17.

Although, the Congress party have been maintaining the line for too long that it does not declare its CM or PM candidate before the elections, supporters are likely to erupt with joy and new hopes of a revival. The longstanding demand was somewhat delayed due to ideological differences that surfaced between the young and senior leaders after the reversal of fortunes in the last rounds of elections threw in new challenges. Senior members have manifested their discomforts on moving away from the aged-old ideologies they have been safekeeping. The advance selection of prime ministerial or chief ministerial candidates is a taboo from their perspective as it is supposed to be in violation of the definition of parliamentary democracy. Adherence to this system requires that the leader of the majority party be chosen only by the newly elected representatives. Compromising on this basic element by declaration of a designated PM renders the elections into a contest between key personalities and sidelined the ideologies and programmes of the party, according to their arguments. Such die-hard proponents of parliamentary democracy regard the promotion of particular individuals as future leaders of the Parliament or the Assembly as taking away the rights of the elected members to choose their leaders.

Another impeding factor may have been that many concerned leaders of the Congress had hesitancy in supporting the idea of naming Rahul Gandhi to head the party campaign for the next Lok Sabha elections after the experience drawn from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections of 2012. The young Gandhi crisscrossed the politically important state for two months and held more than 200 election rallies. However, it won only 28 seats and just two out of the 15 seats under Amethi parliamentary constituency represented by him. Though Congress leaders defended the Assembly elections results and stood by Rahul’s affinity with the voters, their political rivals kept on highlighting the outcome as his personal defeat. He did not head the party campaign during the Gujarat elections that followed later that year. The move was seen as a tactic to avoid the blame of defeat and to shield Rahul Gandhi.

However, seeing its political fortunes diminishing fast and Parliamentary elections knocking at the door, the Congress party now sees no other option but to bank on Rahul Gandhi to tow the sinking ship to clear water. There is absolutely no time for fickle mindedness or wasting valuable time in consideration of the possibilities of the plan backfiring. In a way, the senior Congress leaders should learnt from the conviction with which Narendra Modi was propped up by the BJP as its prime ministerial candidate. Many prominent leaders inside the saffron party were reluctant and Congress leaders in their honest perception thought it was political suicide. Now, the Gujarat chief minister had been given credit for the thumping victories at the state elections by his party men and even the Congress party had stifled their responses on the attribution to Modi’s leadership. The young Gandhi has to fight a high anti-incumbency wave and the weight of a government fettered by high number of scams, but if somebody has to be chosen from the party to draw the huge crowds and retain them at the polling stations, there is absolutely no competition.

Dropping the Quota Mindset

Reservation cannot be permanent and appear to perpetuate backwardness. This was the crux of the observation made by RD and PR minister Francis Ngajokpa on the self-satisfaction among tribal populations after the advent of the quota system. Most of the time, the complaints against reservation in jobs and educational institutions had come from the un-reserved (majority) communities who believed that they have been exploited after missing the opportunities because someone lesser have been given the preference. But the admission and imploration from a political leader who belonged to the reserved category speaks volumes of the adverse effects of the quota system on the other side. The matter should not be allowed to die a natural death without thorough discussion that it correctly deserves.

According to the minister, the time has come for everybody to drop the quota mentality and participate in the struggle to be the best. He argued that the children from different communities are getting the same syllabus, teachers and facilities in schools, colleges and universities and hence ought to be treated just the same. The leeway and extra payment for supporting education given to a section of the students have their own drawbacks. These sections, according to the minister, have become too dependent on the relaxation offered at the time of joining academic institutions and government jobs and the miscellaneous hand outs. Too much relying or being controlled by the quota mindset will proved detrimental to the whole community as the reservation policy is not permanent and will be scraped at one point of time, the minister had opined. The perspective offered by him is one of self-protection from impending dangers and the disappearance of competitive attitude in the population. His vision is right on target. There is a distinct need for a time bound approach to the reservation policy or revise the categories that should enjoy the benefits of the reservation policy or the criteria for qualification from time to time. The populations of the state belonging to the reserved categories had been given a head start in order to pull itself at par with other socially or economically advantaged groups. However, the general observation after decades of implementation of the policy is that the pace of development which was expected due to reservation in those areas has not been visible at all. One of the explanations could be that only the influential groups within those categories have extracted most benefits years after years while the underprivileged forming the majority group among them have been deprived of the government’s magnanimity. Uniformity of development in the state can be attained only after uniformity of development among the reserved categories, which sadly is not the case.

The real satisfaction of development can be felt the day when the most capable persons get the best opportunities. The reservation policy of India is an affirmative action to give added advantages to members of backward and under-represented communities in the longer vision of ensuring a ‘level’ playing field. The administration should ensure that it does not create division of development or over-reliance within the targeted communities or encumber the pace of overall development of the state and the nation for too long.

Polls Fever Raised

The mass enrolment camps of BJP attended by two national leaders, spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman and national VP Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, have raised the tempo of campaigning for the next Lok Sabha elections which have been tentatively put at April-May by officials. There is no heads up as to who will emerge successful among the political parties as yet. The splendid show by the Congress at the Assembly elections resulted in an indomitable attitude among its leaders and party workers and unparalleled enthusiasm but it seemed to have dwindled over the time. Now there is some resemblance of apprehension which had seeped in steadily among the ranks and file of the party following the rout suffered at the last round of Assembly elections during 2013 end. On the contrary, it is seldom that the morale of the state BJP has been so high like the party is experiencing at the moment. The frenzied activities at the local level, specially in the hill districts, and a visibly major transformation in the strategy of the saffron party shown by its advance full-fledged campaign tantamount to an open declaration that it is making preparation for a good fight in both the constituencies. As part of its mission to cross the magic figure of 272, the BJP has in most likelihood sanctioned the fielding of maximum candidates and thus increased the mobility of its star campaigners and national leaders to enable them to reach each and every constituency. Though there are reputed candidates vying for tickets for both national parties, the political suspense is very thick over which party will reach the post first at the elections. The opportunities of consensus candidates among the opposition parties have frittered as none of the major parties that participated at the somber congregations to thrash out a formula have shown the sacrificial spirit. This is despite the general agreement on the imperativeness of such an arrangement to raise the chances of wresting the seats from the Congress. The representatives from parties like BJP, CPI, TMC and NPF probably sat through the discussions, waiting for the end but preoccupied with the thoughts of whom they would field at the elections. Maybe, the idea of giving the consensus idea a try did not even crossed their minds. The position of the BJP on sending its candidates for both seats is pretty clear. On the other hand, the CPI has even confirmed that Dr Moirangthem Nara will be contesting again. The early announcement has weakened the cause for a united opposition camp and the spirit of its proponents must have been left asunder. Moreover, it brings up for dissection the commitment of the party on the consensus issue from the start and gives the impression of selfish play and misleading its partners all the while. The TMC on the virtue of its good showing at the Assembly elections is optimist about making it two out of two, considering that its chief is a former MP. Another opposition party whose compulsion opposed the concept of consensus candidates is the NPF. With its targeted audience very clear cut and the need to consolidate its vote bank, the party will oblige the call of conscious to field a candidate in the outer constituency. However, the cynosure will also be on the MPP. Despite its annihilation at the Assembly elections, it had led unselfishly in the quest for a consensual opposition candidates. But after the setbacks in the formation of opposition unity, the parties will have to ponder its next steps.

Risk of Neglecting Hepatitis C

The prevalence of Hepatitis C among individuals in Manipur engaged in injecting drugs is more than 90 percent according to official reports. Gross negligence has been cited as one of the results for the high infection rate of Hepatitis C among IDUs and the death rate from this condition in the state has been rising due to co-infection with HIV. Organizations dedicated to eradication of HIV/AIDS have been instrumental in arresting the spread of HIV, but people with Hep C have suffered due to the absence of such dedicated organizations, sufficient awareness campaigns, absence of free diagnostic facilities and unaffordable rates of drugs. In a way, Hepatitis C has taken the form of a hidden epidemic. Due to persistent negligence and lack of prevention and treatment efforts from the Union health ministry and concerned departments, the path has been cleared for a faster devastation due to Hep C.

The cost of treatment is very expensive standing around Rs 7-6 lakh, although in selected places it has been lowered to around Rs four lakhs without testing charges and Rs 5 lakhs for full treatment. In any case this is an amount that many people will find very hard to bear. Many organisations in Manipur have raised the need for government intervention in arranging cost-effective treatment and preventive measures for Hep C patients asserting that its prevention will have a positive impact on stopping the spread of HIV as well. There has not been any encouraging response from the administration though and many lives have been lost in the period due to the inability to get proper medical care.

Another factor that has apparently hit the people infected with the disease is the lack of proper treatment guidelines and preventive measures to control its onslaught. Even though, Hep C has been regarded as more dangerous than HIV as the virus causing it can last in open atmosphere for much longer period and the chances of transmission are very high, it has been perennially neglected by the authorities when it comes to recognition as a health risk. People infected and affected by Hep C have complained that there are no specific programmes or help groups working for their welfare. Moreover, the dissemination of information regarding the disease and medical experts specializing on its treatment programme are very few, particularly in the state. Patients have confided that they have hesitation in taking the medication prescribed by the doctors as they suspect whether the method of treatment will be capable of saving their lives. Showing more seriousness in countering the threatening disease, the state and Central governments should respond positively for reimbursement to patients with Hep C cases. The pharmaceutical companies should not take advantage of the prevailing conditions by hiking the price of the drugs on their free will. Moreover, the administration should consider the recommendations of the pro-Hep C groups on incorporation of Hep C awareness and treatment in national HIV and blood-borne disease prevention programmes, inclusion of hepatitis C in the state policy for HIV/AIDS and hepatitis medicines in the national essential medicines list and integrate hepatitis C surveillance in the existing HIV sentinel surveillance.

Road Safety Week

Manipur is observing Road Safety Week now and we should take advantage of the occasion to ponder the reasons behind the increase in number of road mishaps and fatalities in our localities. The works minister Dr Kh Ratan while speaking at one of the functions on Tuesday rightly pointed out that in addition to the need for smooth road surfaces, there is an emergent need to expand many of the important roads to accommodate the drastic rise in numbers of vehicles as their width have remained more or less the same to what it was decades ago. Moreover, modern vehicles have improved cruise control that allows vehicles to travel at phenomenally faster speed and sadly raised the chances of crashing into each other or other moving or stationary objects.

But the mainstay for lessening the rate or road accidents is the law enforcement and the power vested to them. The mishaps can be lessened and even avoided by enforcing effective laws. Jumping the question whether the traffic rules in Manipur are adequate or not, we have to accept that strict enforcement of existing traffic laws or their adherence by the commuters have not been observed in Imphal city or for that matter elsewhere in the state. Policemen in charge of traffic regulations are mostly unaware of the content of the rule book that defines how they should administer the traffic and many of them engaged in dishonest tactics to extort money from vehicle owners. Also, people pay no heed to the traffic rules because they do not feel the threat of punishment. Or being chased till they are caught for wrongdoing on the road as the number of personnel in charge of traffic control is disproportionate to the number of vehicles plying. Thus, there is an urgent need to increase the size of traffic police. The avoidance of the matter by the administration so far is bewildering, specially in the backdrop of the non-stop recruitment of armed personnel and police modernization works. A stronger traffic force and stricter laws will create deterrents for people breaking traffic rules.

Overriding the minister’s views on road widening will be unwise, because it is an accurate observation. There are many segments in Imphal where traffic congestion is very high and the frequency of vehicles running into each other is very high as well, even though fatalities may be very rare. Widening of roads will also create space for footpaths and lessen the risks of pedestrian getting hit. In our state some of the roads are so narrow that in areas with heavy volume of traffic flow the pedestrians and vehicles practically move side by side. There will also be no disagreement on the fact that majority of the accidents are caused by careless and high speed driving, i.e when the drivers accelerate the speed of their vehicles undesirably or there is diversion of attention caused by talking on the phone, feeling drowsy or pre-occupation with other things while driving. Drunk driving is a serious offence and another major cause for accidents. Reasons which appeared less serious like ignoring traffic signals or priority rights of other drivers or treading on the wrong direction and the conditions of the vehicles themselves are also major contributing factors. The problems caused by the inferior vehicles should be given due importance as many vehicles in Manipur are second hand ones bought from other states. In conclusion, the administration should reckon that traffic accidents are big problems which are better prevented. As a means for its achievement, the administration should take up road safety campaigns and ensure the participation and active involvement of as many people as possible. Children could be given early exposure and be disciplined about traffic rules in their schools itself.

Reminiscing the Summer of 2004

This coming summer, it will be ten years since the brutal killing of Pastor Jamkholet Khongshai and Thangjam Manorama unfolded a summer of turmoil packed with massive protest against the inhumane perpetration by the security forces under the cover of the provision of the infamous AFSPA. The barbaric gunning down of the pastor and killing of a woman after forcing her to undergo the humiliation of rape were macabre enough. But, what shocked the common people further were the impunity with which the heinous acts were carried out by the personnel and the arrogance and absence of regret or atonement on part of the ranks of the security forces who played down the whole episodes as insignificant issues. Overwhelmed with hurt and shame, the people abandoned their personal chores and came together in protest against years of partial treatment and the free hand offered to the security forces. As people released their pent up anger, the street burned, the state administration was thrown upside down and Manipur became the cynosure yet again for the explosive protests by its denizens. But, when the Centre weighed the genuine discontentment, the nude protest by women to reveal their frustration and self immolation by student leader Pebam Chittaranjan, against AFSPA the scale was found skewed markedly in favour of the central forces and Act. Now, as the tenth anniversaries of the death of Manorama and Jamkholet near, different organizations have come together with the objective of giving a ‘determined push’ to realize the long-standing demand for revocation of the Act by the end of 2014, through using legitimate means and participation of all sections of the society.

The action planned by them is in part a way of reminiscing the summer of 2004 and how terribly horrified the public was and still is at the mention of AFSPA. The organizations that participated at the convention held on January 5, 2014 at Lamyanba Sanglen in Imphal constituted a working committee and agreed to adopt an action plan at the earliest. One of the unique features of the meeting was the emphasis paid on participation of the masses and different sections of the society. If we observe, since the anti-AFSPA agitation of 2004, the major responsibilities and workload have fallen on the shoulders of a few committed organizations and public participation has been very passive and limited. The lack of participation by the general public, of course, is not a true reflection of their opinions on the continuation of the law. Even then, by not expressing their deep seated opposition into overt actions, they have hindered the anti-AFSPA movement which over the last decades had moved only a few strides. Public are underestimating the prowess of their contribution and this unawareness had became the shortcoming in the bid to uproot AFSPA. The leading beacon of light in the struggle, Irom Sharmila Chanu has been making repeated pleas to individuals to understand that they are the real fighters in repealing AFSPA. The plain truth is it was neither political arm-twisting by the state leaders, nor a change of heart by the power that be behind the partial removal of the Act – it was the cries of anger by the bereaved public.

The deadline of a year for removal of the Act appeared impractical. However, without losing too much sleep over the outcome, the committee must keep its plans on the right track and spare ample room for public participation. Their stir has the hallmark of a democratic movement. It is not a call for a referendum or a cry for civil war but an imploration for equal treatment of all citizens of India as promised in the Constitution of India. The argument that without AFSPA the law and order in the state will capsize is a fallacy and must be defeated by the voice of the people.

AAP`s pan-India vision

After its superlative show at Delhi, the Aam Admi Party has set its sight on the next round of Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha polls. The party has made its vision and mission clear after announcing its plans to field its candidates in most seats of the Lok Sabha polls and the Maharashtra Assembly election slated for the end of 2014. The noteworthy point is that the decisions were not provoked by high delusion of its Delhi success but rather by the overwhelming support from far and wide, including influential Bollywood stars, and the enthusiasm shown by new members all over India – 3,00,000 of whom joined the party in Maharashtra in the last three weeks.

No doubt, the growth of the party could be regarded as a new dawn and a scenario changing experience in the political annals of India. The common man`s party is at the moment `the political party` and you can hate it or like it, but you cannot afford to ignore it. It is not just the Congress or its main adversary the BJP that are thrown into consternation by its rise, because the party is making inroads into the territories of many reputable regional parties in the Hindi heartland and now is striding ahead with confidence in Maharashtra. The AAP has a countenance of preparedness, if not the shine of impeccability. And it is this perpetual confidence and pugnacious attitude that has instilled hope among the common people that their wish for an alternative to the BJP and the Congress had been fulfilled.

The party has not slow down its insatiable thirst for expansion since its formation one year ago. The AAP government at Delhi is not at all safe by any means in the backyard of the two mighty political parties that have been watching without flipping their eyes for a false move. Despite this, the AAP had gone ahead on its own boldly and showed by its activities that it wanted to span out its wings and become a pan-India political party by riding on the decades of dissatisfaction with the national and regional parties. A key AAP leader Prashant Bhusan is on the course of a reconnaissance tour in the south. It has establised units in the southernmost state of Kerala, something which augurs well for the party`s future. Yogendra Yadav is focusing on Haryana, the native state of Kejriwal. There will be no shortage of candidates for the party from any part of India at the next Parliamentary elections. Whether it can translate its aspirations into realities is the big question. Its leaders have made positive moves.

But, the wonderful rise of the AAP has indeed put the skids under plans of the Congress and the BJP because the loss of a few constituencies due to the presence of the former would translate into loss of power at the Centre.

New Year hindrances

Leader Writer: Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh For the state and its people, 2013 was a mixed bag, marred by several violent incidents, drug related cases; and remediated by land mark judgements and the return of several armed groups to the mainstream … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh

For the state and its people, 2013 was a mixed bag, marred by several violent incidents, drug related cases; and remediated by land mark judgements and the return of several armed groups to the mainstream by laying down their arms among others. Violent explosions and crimes especially against women and children featured frequently last year in the state. The first half of the year was also marked by the arrest of several high profile individuals in connection with illegal drug trafficking and the subsequent drama which followed the arrest.

The year started on an ominous note, with the arrest of two IRB personnel in connection with the alleged abduction and killing of the proprietor of Mangalam Plywood Factory. The earlier part of the year was also rocked by the arrest of several high profile individuals for carrying pseudoephedrine hydrochloride drugs worth over Rs 20 crore. 2013 also witnessed three armed outfits- United Revolutionary Front (URF), KYKL/MDF and the KCP, Lamphel group laying down their arms and entering the peace initiative of the centre and the state. A series of bomb blast had also rocked the state in 2013, with the most prominent being the explosion of an Improvised Explosive Device on September 13 at Khoyathong Pukhri Achouba Mapal, killing nine and injuring 12 others. Gruesome cases like the killing of a research fellow Ningombam Satyabhama among others had also rocked the state.

The increase in the frequency of crimes against women and children in recent times had been such that a 17 year old girl from the state Sougaijam Bidyalakshmi, was stirred up to take a cycle tour of the entire 82 districts of the seven North Eastern states and spread the message of stopping violence against women. The past couple of years had seen a spate of such crimes which, as pointed out on numerous occasions, reflects the moral degradation that the people of the state are undergoing at present. The society as such should also be conscious of its responsibility in checking and containing such crimes; and the backlashes it has to face in case the crimes go unchecked for long.

Meanwhile, on a brighter side, there were also certain developments during the past year, which if not were outright positive, could certainly act as the catalyst to many positive changes in the state. In a landmark judgement, the Sessions Judge, Manipur West had sentenced four convicts in the sensational U-Morok rape case to life imprisonments. The Sessions Judge, Manipur East had also sentenced two accused in the TG rape case to fifteen years of Rigorous Imprisonment.

However, the violence and destructions witnessed during the past year seem to hang on to the New Year. The state woke up on the New Year morning to the reverberating sounds of two IED explosions within a span of few minutes. A woman, who was stabbed repeatedly by her nephew on the day with a motive of robbery, also succumbed to the injuries. A New Year brings high hopes, dreams and desires for a peaceful, prosperous and more productive year, and violence could only act as a deterrent. Such times call for a retrospection of the past and treading carefully so as to forsake all past wrongs and chose the correct path.

Electoral Reforms and Democracy

Senior CPI leader and party’s apparent choice for the Inner Parliamentary seat at the next Parliament elections, Dr Moirangthem Nara has been vociferously campaigning for electoral reforms throughout the state, strongly contending that the present majoritarian system of plurality based First Past the Post had made a mockery of the concept of representative democracy. During several meetings, bearing the characteristics of election hustings, the former minister had told potential voters on the importance of replacing it with the proportional representation system which is being followed in countries like Russia, Israel etc but very seldom in English speaking countries. The issue of electoral reforms is less likely to make significant impacts to the voters at the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which incidentally will be conducted under the ‘failed system’. Also, the very evident lack of support from other political parties to the cause is an indication that its campaign for changing the existing electoral systems, or reformation as the party prefers to put it, is not readily agreeable. Despite the drawbacks, the persistence of the party on the issue is laudable and manifested the typical grit and gutsy attitude long associated with the left parties.
The CPI’s argument against the majoritarian system is simple. In the last Assembly elections, the Congress got under 30 percent of the voting share and successfully staked claim to form the government while other political parties who in combined won over 70 percent were compelled by the system to stay out. In fact, the MPP and CPI despite getting significant chunk of the vote-share were not even represented in the Assembly. Another point forwarded by the CPI is that the winner takes all aspects of the majoritarian system tempted voters to choose the parties likely to win the plurality, instead of wasting votes for third parties, posing a disadvantage to smaller and minority parties. Let us not confuse the CPI’s perception on the existing system as a case of sour grapes by putting its campaign in the backdrop its performance at the last Assembly elections. Its leaders command conceptual clarity and commitment on why the proportional representation will be more beneficial in preserving the democratic values.
Electoral system and democracy are very closely linked. The ideal of democracy assumes concrete dimensions through the electoral process and for many people election is the only form of political participation. The exercise of electoral franchise also means recognition to being a citizen in a democratic society. Thus, if a section of the citizens feel that the electoral system is not fulfilling the expectations of the public, then does not it mean that democracy itself has been put in danger. In all logic, the CPI and MPP must have had hard feelings remembering that despite having thousands of supporters and potentially winning candidates they do not have a single representation at the House. Naturally, when a party or an individual begins to make assumptions that the legislatures following the elections is not reflecting the fair preference, then there will be a decrease in support for the system. Public support for the democratic system is swayed by their belief that the translation of votes into seat under the electoral system is fair. We believed that the issue of electoral reforms on its own strength qualifies for a political debate at the right platforms. Besides, has not India already adopted a style of PR system in the Upper House of the Parliament.

Hailing Lokpal

After the smooth passages in both Houses of the Parliament, the Lokpal Bill awaits Presidential assent to become a law. There are two extreme views to the proposed anti-corruption body – one labeling it as a paper tiger while the other has been more favourable remarking that a beginning has been made. It is understandable that the Bill is not to everybody’s liking and it is the inherent beauty of a democracy to have multiple opinions. There were sharp differences between the ruling and Opposition benches even some months back but luckily the government agreed to the recommendations made by the Select Committee recently enabling a convergence. Corruption at all level has to be fought and it is necessary that a beginning is made. There is no doubt that there are shortcomings in the present form of Lokpal Bill but improvements can be made step by step. The main criticism against the present form of the Lokpal is that the Prime Minister has been superseded and the body that appears to be higher than the Prime Minister who represents the country at the international level. Such, it will not be favourable for the country. Further, the opponents of the Bill have argued that the right step to break down corruption should have been the creation of infrastructure, special courts and adequate numbers of judges to bring more than 20,000 pending corruption cases to its culmination points.

But the proponents of the Bill have shot down the argument claiming that the opposition is based on fear as they have something to hide. The ruling Congress party had further claimed that there is another section opposing the improved Lokpal who has termed it too weak. In reality, they are worried that once it becomes a law their political shops will be shut, its spokespersons said apparently taking a dig at the Aam Admi Party. The Congress leaders have also opposed the view from the AAP that the large representation of politicians in the body that is suppose to appoint the Lokpal has made the appointment provisions defective. While the indignant views against the politicians are not surprising, it will be too offensive to stereotype every politician as incorrigible crooks and traitors. As a matter of fact, the leaders of the AAP including its chairman Arvind Kejriwal have become politicians after contesting the Assembly elections of Delhi and other states and the party will not be too approving to its leaders being classified within the genre of a corrupted class. The correct policy will be to put faith on the proposed law and participate wholesomely in augmenting its effectiveness by amending its parts or incorporating practicable options whenever required. Moreover, existing laws have been repeatedly modified to ensure that corrupted politicians face the music for their misdeeds. Laloo Prasad and others have been disqualified from Lok Sabha after court conviction for graft and Parliament had earlier expelled 11 MPs for taking bribes for asking questions. On the other hand even Anna Hazare had welcomed the ‘reformed’ Lokpal Bill. The AAP, the Samajwadi Party and other opposing groups should give the new law a chance to prove its utility.

Incompetents in the periphery of films

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba Manipur is a place where incident’s that defy logic occurs, and the best part is that the wrongs are projected to the public as the truth. An inimitable style and conduct of individuals, organizations that are … Continue reading →

Leader Writer: Paojel Chaoba

Manipur is a place where incident’s that defy logic occurs, and the best part is that the wrongs are projected to the public as the truth. An inimitable style and conduct of individuals, organizations that are well connected in the State.

The 8th Manipur Film Festival which is objected at screening quality films and moreover for promoting the film industry in the State has been mired in controversy. The jury members of the festival have in their cinematographic wisdom judged that standards of the national award winning films are not fit to be screened at the state festival. Leipaklei and Phijigi Mani, The Silent Poet, Gun and a God which have been recognized in a national and international cine arena have been deemed unworthy! Though the wisdom of the jury members are final and binding , the question which begs a rational answer is on what grounds have these films not been shortlisted ?

Is it maybe that the digital mainstream films with the melodramatic formula of; boy meets girl, fall in love, a jilted lover cast as a villain but finally a walk into the sunset with the overdose of dancing in the woods musical scenes qualify as ‘quality films’ and are more aesthetically refined then the national award winners. Or perhaps, the jury members are more fans of these commercial chocolate films than fine cinema and a Akira Kurosawa, Vittorio De Sica or Satyajit Ray directed film may not make it if their work entered for the Manipur State Film Festival.

It may not be an unfounded assumption if the enlightened juries have never heard or seen the works of these mentioned filmmakers. The thought that film is an art form may have escaped their notice while being preoccupied with our Kaiku-Bala musicals and other commercial mainstream films. It can be pointed out that the celluloid productions of the early 80s had been a costly affair for the producers and filmmakers struggled in their profession. However, “Olangthagi Wangmadasu” screened at Friends Talkies for 30 weeks and outran the popular Bollwood blockbuster “Sholay” shown at Usha cinema. Many films like Imagi Ningthem, Ishanou, Sanakeithel etc have received international attention and awards, carving a niche for Manipuri films in the global film map.

However, with the introduction of the digital camera and the cost of production becoming less, editing becoming more technically easier, there has been an upsurge in film production since 2001. For this current year, nearly 60 digital films have applied for certification. The sad part is that Manipuri film production has remained more quantitative and not qualitative. This may be due to the fact that majority of filmmakers lack proper schooling in directorial knowledge and filming know-how. Sometimes , an individual having a good digital camera may double up as producer, director etc. The producer may come in the guise of a contractor or individuals with deep pockets and forking out a few lacs hardly matter to them.

Word of the grapevine tells that some producers just finance films to get proximity with the actors and to be amongst the minuscule glitterati of the Manipur film world. Another issue may be pointed out that aside from the mediocricity being churned out, another lack is of competent film critics. It can be seen in some print publications that some self styled reviewers or critics sum up their work by writing out the storyline of the films instead of a critical analysis. Then, on the other hand one feels that they may not be blamed as there may be nothing worth reviewing for majority of the commercialized films. Small wonder that shelf-life or viewership of these films is limited to a span of weeks.

One assumes that some of these factors may be the cause of the national award winning films being left out from the ongoing film festival. On the other hand, concerned authorities of the MFDC should have at least a vague idea of conducting a film festival and how it should be presented to the public. There are no advertisements in the media of the screening schedule for the festival beside the myriad complaints inclusive of unethical practice conducted in selection.

The MFDC should allow the non-feature films which have no commercial purpose to be screened at the fest. Documentaries and makers should be promoted as they capture the realities and records them as visual archives. The directors in their films also highlight issues of the society and communicate it to the public through the medium of films. As non commercial film, documentaries only get chances in the big screen during festivals. Documentaries are considered as serious film, and hence explained for the kind information of the jury members of the festival and the organizers. Gross ignorance of not screening out the minimum number of documentaries being produced borders not on promotion of film but rather of uprooting it.

Someone said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. So, let us all ‘do’ our individual parts. Bringing about a change in Manipuri films begins from viewing good cinema, let the public be shown good films.

Minding One`s Own Fences

Has the state government been totally and coldly left out of the loop by the Centre while making the decisions on fencing works along the Indo-Myanmar border yet again? It has been almost two days since news reports quoting officials claimed that fencing work at certain section of the border with Myanmar is still being carried on as usual without any interruption. Following the intervention of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Ministry of Home Affairs had directed the Border Road Organisation on December 5 to stop all works on border fencing until the matter is settled through bilateral talks between the two countries. If there was no foundation in the independent reports and the MHA’s orders had indeed been obeyed, one would have expected the local administration to make a swift rebuttal denying its authenticity and allay public fears. But as the needful had not happened, a sense of exasperation has overwhelmed the minds of the public from wanting to know what exactly is happening at the ground level and whether the words of the MHA are trustworthy.

Normally, it would be impolite to jump to conclusion and criticize the authority before giving it a fair opportunity for clarification or room for discretion in making its moves. But, the efficiency of the state government apparatus overlooking the border fencing issue has been highly questionable from the very beginning. First of all, when the public discontent began to gather storm, with all confidence Ibobi had trashed the reports of encroachment by our neighbor as totally baseless. The unraveling of facts compelled him to eat his own words. When there was no way out, Ibobi led a large political contingent to New Delhi to meet the Central leaders. The claim that the border fencing is contentious met the ratification of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Still, the state government has not shown the right amount of passion, expediency and determination that the people want to see on safeguarding the interest of Manipur. The all political party delegation had urged the Centre that the state be made part of the decision making process in matters related to border fencing in areas under the jurisdiction of Manipur. But, will it be counted as jumping the authority if we take care to maintain vigilance on the day to day activities at the disputed border areas? The government should issue a clarification on the status of the MHA directives at the earliest. Also, it will be very honorable on part of members of the House to spend some time for discussing the latest development on the border fencing row instead of dumping it with reckless haste.