Price Manipur has had to pay Date with Sept 13
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Ever since talks started doing the round that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is more or less confirmed to visit Manipur on September 13, the focus of the people has been on the high profile visit. From ‘anticipated visit’ to ‘confirmed visit’ is how the tale has spun out so far, a development that has been bolstered by the very act of throwing open the gate of Raj Bhavan on September 7 for the BJP MLAs, minus those who switched sides to the saffron party after being elected as JD (U) candidates. And if the focus of the people is on the visit of the Prime Minister, the question then is whether the political leaders of the day have managed to prepare the ‘lists that may be presented to him’ during the visit. This question should be understood in the context of another question, a question whether the State political leaders would be given the opportunity to air the stand of the people to the Prime Minister or not. Even as the Governor threw open the doors of Raj Bhavan to the BJP MLAs and State BJP leaders, no official communique has come from the State unit of the BJP on whether the Prime Minister would indeed be visiting Manipur or not. In all probability this is how Manipur would march towards September 13 and surprisingly not a whimper of a question of why everything should be kept so hush hush has come from the people. Moreover it would be interesting to see if the Prime Minister would deem it fit to grant some sort of an audience to the State BJP leaders, including former members of the Council of Ministers, during his visit here or not. This question should be studied and understood and in the backdrop of the fact that for over two years the Prime Minister refused to meet any political leader from Manipur during the height of the crisis here. And if an audience is granted, would it be a case of the State BJP leaders just listening to what the Prime Minister has to say or whether it would be a case of passing on the stand of the people. All questions at the moment, but at the same time, it would do good for the State BJP leaders to explore the question of whether they really understand the stand of the people or not. More importantly, have any of the BJP leaders ever deemed it fit to receive feedbacks/suggestions from the people on the points that may be put before the Prime Minister ? Again just a question, but in so far as The Sangai Express is concerned, no such initiative has been taken on seeking feed- backs/suggestions from the public. Sharing of ideas and suggestions is perhaps the best way to go about it, but then when has the voice of the people really mattered to the political leaders who continue to sit on their lofty chairs. And even as the clock ticks towards the day the Prime Minister is supposed to visit Manipur, nothing is clear on whether the National Highways are open for all to travel or not. This question is best understood in the backdrop of the claim forwarded by the SoO groups that the National Highways have never been closed and that assuring the security of the people who ply on the highways is not their job, but the responsibility of the Central security forces !
The distrust, the confusion continue and in the over two years of such a climate, a number of ‘champions’ with extremely good lung power have emerged on either side of the clash divide. And confusion is created when there is a vacuum at the top and such a situation is perhaps right for many wannabes to emerge and fill the vacuum. This is what Manipur has experienced and is living it in the last 750 days or so and such a situation reflects the ‘herd mentality’ of the people. It is only the herd mentality, the belief that everyone should fall in line with what has been laid down by those who have managed to emerge in the confusion that the culture of worshipping false heroes and heroines can take deep root. This is what Manipur will have to come face to face with and the question is whether such a situation can be taken as a fallout of the ongoing clash or is something waiting for the opportunity to come out in all its ugliness ? The answer could lie somewhere in between but ultimately it does not say anything good about the place, except that it reflects the reality of a place, a place where the people have been brow beaten into quiet submission for years. Manipur will need to look forward and to meaningfully look to the road ahead, an atmosphere needs to be created where people can raise question without fearing any backlash. Or is this asking for too much ?
The distrust, the confusion continue and in the over two years of such a climate, a number of ‘champions’ with extremely good lung power have emerged on either side of the clash divide. And confusion is created when there is a vacuum at the top and such a situation is perhaps right for many wannabes to emerge and fill the vacuum. This is what Manipur has experienced and is living it in the last 750 days or so and such a situation reflects the ‘herd mentality’ of the people. It is only the herd mentality, the belief that everyone should fall in line with what has been laid down by those who have managed to emerge in the confusion that the culture of worshipping false heroes and heroines can take deep root. This is what Manipur will have to come face to face with and the question is whether such a situation can be taken as a fallout of the ongoing clash or is something waiting for the opportunity to come out in all its ugliness ? The answer could lie somewhere in between but ultimately it does not say anything good about the place, except that it reflects the reality of a place, a place where the people have been brow beaten into quiet submission for years. Manipur will need to look forward and to meaningfully look to the road ahead, an atmosphere needs to be created where people can raise question without fearing any backlash. Or is this asking for too much ?