The same voice of those mischievous politicians would disturb our sleep once again. They would scream at us 'Let us save Manipur' as if we are less concern of Manipur. This is because of the fact that the election is round the corner.
The actors are all the same, nothing new can be visualized in the vast horizon. Many of those who gave nod to bringing the iniquitous AFSPA in Manipur would protest against the 'act' and would showcase solidarity in different form of stirs so that they claim they are with the people.
This is different role and different act they loved to play most. Public memory never too short lived.
They are all the same men, sometimes in villain role and somewhere they took the role of a social worker with artificial smile that they occasionally wear. Everybody knows they are varieties of dishes in the smorgasbord but nobody wish to lay a finger in that.
However it is known fact that the show would continue .....and public too would follow suit. We, as a whole either politicians
or public, should drink the cup of woes together.
We are all equally responsible of the present situation in Manipur and moral responsibility of the public goes at par with those political actors so the hues and cries whatsoever would wander through the wilderness for many more years to come.
Our netas are the right politicians for the right people. Whatever prevails is well deserved for our kind of society.
The main plank of the ensuing election would be undoubtedly
AFSPA and Sharmila.
While Congress remains tight lips on the
AFSPA issue, the MPP and NCP hopefully both strong contenders against the ruling Congress, would shed crocodile tears as if Manipur would be washed off by a Somali flood.
They may love Sharmila dearer than ever and AFSPA would be heard from them to be the most dreaded, draconian act and for all of which the square blame consequently would pour on the present ruling government. As if AFSPA has been imposed lately in Manipur.
The SPF government has its own share of blames that ultimately they will have to eat the humble pie. It has no escape route. But when it comes to AFSPA, no one can claim oneself clean for it is easily understandable even for the child in IV standard that the AFSPA is the creation of all politicians in Manipur and not to directly point finger to a particular block alone.
This is the bitter pill that all of them should swallow for the sake of the truth. So Sharmila and AFSPA issue, if it is ever taken up in the election campaign, than it would be nothing but a mud-slinging among themselves and arrived at 'no win' situation. The best would be to keep their lips tight on the Sharmila and AFSPA issue.
Let the holy child starves to death while whole of the Manipur sleeps. Let us all dance out here while she struggles for her life in Delhi. Let our womenfolk talk only what brings back home as the gift of Ningol Chakouba this year?
Unscrupulous politicians will chant her name very often for their mere political gain. What do we have to show to others? When the day arrived when Sharmila breath her last probably there will be a stack of condolence messages on the editor's table.. many civil societies will express deep sorrow to the bereaved family.
Only the competition will be who wrote the best condolence message in newspapers. That's all.
However if the God ever descended from his heavenly abode and hunts out for the purest soul in Manipur, she is none other than Sharmila. No one can replace and act under her skin.
Can we ever think we can replace her?
Are not we all pretending?
Please say yes and a big NO to act like Sharmila.
In electoral politics there is no word called goodness. Here devils are made out of angels. If the past elections in Manipur are of any indication, we have seen many personalities emerged in the scenario with the New Manipur concept.
Where have they gone? We have also seen many who pretended themselves to be social workers and became sycophants to his political master who can quench his thirst. Shall we call them politicians?
They had enough fire in their mouth to blow to others but little did they know that the same fire will catch him back someday too.
So in a short time the charisma died down like the dry leaves that flow here and there. It was like the kid's balloon that burst when it came into contact with a pointed pin of materialistic gimmick.
So the old saying exactly can be quoted "If you are living in the glasshouse never throw stone to others". In fact, in real term politics is such a serious matter to be left alone to the politicians with special reference to Manipur. Sometimes it is everybody's business too.
There are also politicians who professed Russian and Chinese ideologies but never enable to prove themselves as they preach. They came, they show, they were in the ministry and gone having filled their coffer with crispy currencies.
They worship Irawat but never know what he really wanted; no one came up to fulfill his inspiration. Chinese and Russian comrades will curse on them. People are looking forward to see some one in action rather than delivering never ending speech.
The national Congress may not be the warrior with the shinning armour either. They can be good if only they remained glued to their iron shield farm and tight. Attacks will start ranging from 10 percent than to Human rights violation, Tipaimukh project and many more.
Many schools and colleges that reduced to heap of ashes will have greater impact not only to the minister responsible but this will be haunting experience lay in wait for whole of the congress candidates. In the regime of SPF many students and social workers have been booked under NSA; this was definitely a negative marking and would bounce back.
The excesses of those men in olive and khakis will turn out like a ghost in the ensuing election, never this will go unrewarded.
While Ibobi led coalition Government sing the victory song citing examples on shifting Assam Rifles from Kangla and road broadening and many more developmental works yet, the five years of SPF term had also pumped themselves up with a lot of bad images that could lead to suicidal and defeating factors as well.
For all these reasons Congress may not hit the expected mark. A single largest majority government is therefore far from the scene.
Now the bigger question that has emerges out is in the land of blinds the one eyed man ruled is truth but if that one eyed man is not available around who would rule the land remains a riddle.
But Congress still has its own bramastra that could kill thousand of his rivals. It is not known whether they will release it or not this time.
The whole hues and cries that had been prevailing and chaos in our Manipur can be painted 'white' with a single brush that is repealing "Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958" from the face of Manipur before the election.
This is only the gift they can offer to the people of Manipur who had been so vulnerable, survived hard amidst the pitches
of bullets. What development matters when our very existence is threatened and not safe?
This way they can refurbish the image of Indian oldest political party in Manipur. If they could win it than literally they win people's heats too. In this process they can count the chicks even before it is hatched.
If not the siren screaming vehicles, flag waving cars and spotless white ambassador may not come there way.
It could be painful to hear but it is truth that cannot be deterred.
R.K. Shivachandra, social worker based in Imphal, contributes regularly to e-pao.net. The writer can be reached at [email protected] . This article was webcasted on December 21st, 2006.
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