Manipur: Switzerland of India has become a love lost State

    12-Sep-2023
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ARTICLE
L Luingam
Manipur which is called the Switzerland of India has become a love lost State. It may now be called Seizeland because of the fact that the oppressors and the oppressed both alike are deliberately scheming to seize land, power and opportunity at hand. The prevailing situation is so grim and so bleak. We do not know what the future holds but we do have some notions what it might be. Our future is precarious because there is irrepressible conflict to uphold and defend the one is to overthrow the other. It is fighting like kilkenny cats.
Properties worth crores of rupees are damaged, many lives are lost, many people are rendered homeless and left on the brink of starvation. The heart of God must have been exasperated to see all these happenings. Our times are much more turbulent than ever before. Truth and peace are no more desired by majority today. The world we live in is a selfish and an antagonistic world. We live in a world which is full of corruption, hypocrisies and wickedness. We live in a society which is caste ridden. So, it is not at all easy to live in this crooked and sinful world without compromise but no one should seek false peace through compromise. Human mind is so frailed and heart is so wicked that they build barriers than bridges all along their life's journey. The war mongers are blinded to truth and so they take the value of human life at its lowest in times of war. They become cruel to their fellow-beings. Fearlessness is not recklessness but sheer foolishness. we can choose friends but we cannot choose neighbours.
History bears testimony to the fact that major outcome of wars in the world is that of refugees who have fled their homes and lands and have gone as expatriates to other countries lookig for greener pastures. They wanted to share the advantages and privileges of settled peoples.
They wanted land that they could use as their own and the opportunity to trade with others living around them. And at the same time let us also see how a Nation is led to ruins and her people to exile from their own homes and lands because of evil and wicked ways of leaders and the kings, craze for power, wealth and self-aggrandizement make one blind and insensitive to what is fair and just. The truth is scornfully rejected by those who choose to lead a life of comfort. An unyielding stubborn attitude hinders peace and harmony in the society. The community which seeks self-importance and self-glory will strike discord which results in disharmony and destruction.
As light and darkness cannot harmonize so also good and evil or truth and falsehood cannot blend together. The battle between truth and falsehood started from the beginning of time and is one of the themes of all history. The battle between good and evil will increase in intensity in the coming generations and to the very close of time. The world is the battle ground for good and evil and we are the victims of this social evils.
Obviously, an evil man will instinctively hate a good man. Righteousness always provokes hostility in the mind and heart of those whose actions are evil. The reason is that the good man is a walking rebuke to the evil man even if he never speaks a word to him, his life passes a silent judgment. Sometimes evil seems to have prevailed over those who are trying their best to do what is right. But God says that evil and injustice will not triumph over truth because He is in control of everything. God alone is the foundation and source of truth. He never lets the righteous down and defeated. God sees the truth but waits till His perfect timing. So, it is good to stand up for what is right regardless of the cost.
All that is happening in Manipur today is due to the lack of wisdom and love. Wisdom is God's given ability to discern between good and evil and love is God and God is love. The law of love is the foundation of the Government of God. So, God desires from all His creatures the service of love. Love does not insist upon its rights. If there is no love, there can be no forgiveness and if there is no forgiveness, there can be no love.
Forgiveness is free and hard but never cheap. And thus, for a world living in fear of the future, there is an antidote i.e. LOVE. Love is one of the main factors that will forge political and social unity among all different groups in Manipur. All barriers of social status, power and wealth are to be obliterated by love and so that the doctrine of brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God may be restored in Manipur.
Shri N. Biren Singh's Government is not impotent, not imprudent and not impudent. His Government is well aware and fully alert to the situation and has been trying to meet the situation as best as it can. Some politicians levelled charge after charge against him and even hurled accusations. Politicians usually criticize the Government not for common good but out of sheer vindictiveness.
They always tend to put the blame on others rather than looking at the evils within. There is no doubt, some politicians and some individual opportunists with vested interest are also in play to topple the present Government and also prolong the issue by jeopardizing the process to bring peaceful solution. This social-political conflict cannot be solved by mere involvement of individuals, groups or CSOs or any outside entities for that matter. This can only be solved Constitutionally by the Government through its machineries and legislation taking into consideration demographic and historical facts and figures.

The writer is from Ramva Village, Ukhrul, Manipur