May 20 to August 21 Indifference is loud

The silence is deafening and in the silence two words are clear-sheer indifference. Do whatever you like, we don’t care, is the message that has been conveyed. This is exactly the stance that Raj Bhavan has adopted since May 20, the day when personnel of Mahar Regiment stopped a Manipur State Transport bus, carrying media persons to cover the State level Shirui Lily Festival, and covered the name Mani-pur. A brief look at the timeline may help Manipur realise just how indifferent the PR regime has been to the sentiments of the journalists in particular and Manipur in general. After the media fraternity rose as one to lodge a strong stand against such a conduct, representatives of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) and Editors’ Guild, Manipur met the Governor and submitted a charter of demands, including fitting action against those res- ponsible for coming up with such a brilliant idea as covering the name Manipur from a bus, which is under the Manipur State Transport. Government news were boycotted in the initial days of the protest and Imphal based newspapers carried slogans demanding that the Government  break the silence on the incident. It was only after it came to light that the inquiry committee set up to look into the incident had submitted its report that the decision to roll back the ‘boycott Government news’ stand was taken. This was in June but yet Raj Bhavan and its men in positions of authority continued with their stand-offish attitude, refusing to officially spell out that the probe report had been submitted. From May 20 to August 21 and the indifference of Raj Bhavan held out and it was only on August 22, that an official communique was received from the office of the Home Commissioner that the said probe report compiled in June has been submitted. It is this indifference that is hard to digest, especially when it comes to something as sensitive as the act of not allowing a Government vehicle with the word Manipur embossed on its signage to proceed. The very act of stopping the said bus and covering the word Manipur was unacceptable, but equally unacceptable is the indifference of the Government even after the matter was brought to its attention in clear cut terms. What was there to hide in conveying that the report has been submitted ? Or is Raj Bhavan under the impression that the media persons would get tired of their slogans and bury the matter quietly ? Either way it  does not speak well of the people in positions of power and authority.
Remains to be seen what course of action the Government would take up to ensure that such an ugly incident is not repeated in the future, but in more than one way, the silence of the Government for over 90 days  comes very close to what actually happened on May 20 at Gwaltabi. So any action similar to what happened at Gwaltabi on May 20 will not be repeated is the assurance given by the Government, but how about an assurance that maintaining a stoic silence on a matter for over 90 days would not be allowed to happen in the future ? It is when such assurance is given under the pervading atmosphere of haughtiness that it becomes very difficult to digest. Raj Bhavan should take note of the reality. In as much as what happened on May 20 at Gwaltabi was unacceptable, it also stands that the stoic silence and sheer indifference for over 90 days is equally unacceptable. What Manipur needs today is not indifference, a sort of haughtiness that comes couched in officialdom, but a genuine approach to issues that affect the sensibilities of the people. Journalists under AMWJU and EGM are not bodies which believe in street politics and this is something which should have been respected by the officialdom in the corridors of power.  May 20 to August 23 and this is how long it has taken for Raj Bhavan to officially convey a message, just a message that the inquiry committee set up to probe the May 20 incident has submitted its reported. What is so difficult about this ? Surely this information would not come under any classified information of the Government. Step down from the high citadel is the one line instructions that Raj Bhavan should issue to its suited, booted officials.