Election regale in Manipur– Reflecting a societal point

Roviso Marza *

Polling for 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly election at Chandel on 08 March 2017 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

Many do not like the churns of elections, even those dealing the subject. It is often considered a pattern run by those who are for it, and for them alone. Other professions and those disliking ittend to stay away even duringvoting, apparently due to election’s volatile form, however powerful it gives.

Are elections really corrupt? Which type of people should take part in it? Certainly it’s not corrupt per se. It is only by people who fail in the field bears bad testimony. Politics has its spur which is inevitable; it doesn’t depart from the heaves we so want to breathe in life. It is an element to governing peoples’ life which requiresserious commitment and devotion like any other profession. Election is an agent of politics trying to engaging people their interests and outlook of the world.

Civilized societies had undergone similar spate of contests that our side faces now, although we are still held far behind from these societies who exercise freedom according to values and respect. “Money and force” has no scope for them to win election, because to them politics has tall claims of humanity and commitment. v Our part of the world sadly rolls into a disturbing mess, waxing paradoxical scenes and hatred. Politics at best, is the art of the possible. It allows clear political contestations and conduct, whereby judgment is takenon ‘fairness’ and values of the people. This is the kind of model which democracy allows people to acquire their course of freedom, to think one.

The atmosphere is wide loose as well as promising. Interestingly today, many in our society talk on this buzzword politics in their ‘aimed coffers’ without else know the braid of it. Money does not draw all practices no doubt. There are but those run in the lure of blind politicking and much daring to it for money.

I have had the personal witness of it recently, the shameful part of this ill in our land, our own people. There are yet indeed, good motives doing their part – ‘my vote for truth’ campaign, selfless take on politics with vision, and genuine involvements around the same plank of connecting people.

Many of the interview clips on the Hill candidates I listened online are echoed excellently on the ensuing Manipur elections scheduled March 4 and 8, 2017. Thanks to Indigenous Voice for garnering such values into our society. But votes for what and for whom, has proven many times futile due to not standing by it.

Politicians must reconsider their stake very seriously, let alone followers and voters. The price of damage and failure is more than anyone of us wants to pay, as put by Kofi Annan. And our scuffle today would not easily heal the scars unless taken first to cleanour house.

In a significant record of democratic elections, the recent one of the United States took jibe over incorrect maneuvers in media and social circles which America does not regard in its pride of values. Interestingly, the republican won the presidential election popularly on factors over wrong projections and overrated strength by the democrats.

Apart from the conservative claims of the republican policies, many Americans did not want their democratic values to be on wrong linesand monopoly. CNN commentator quotes views of voters saying the people didn’t want to be humiliated that way through regulated views, hence the citizen mindscape increased against the democrats. It went to reiterate that the force of democracy is with the ordinary people, and that they would only decide their own political fate.

The choice of democracy in our political spectrum misses almost all the values prevalent in the societiesreferred during elections. Freedom to politics, as generally followed in any democracy, has miserably seen our society in blatant negligence topublic interests and demand. Democracy has for clear reasons departed from the bastion of the public.

Good governance for one, should anticipate the resilience of democracy, in so far as the people would exercise freedom to restrain any force jeopardizing their rights and security. However, democracy must be invested on correct application of the values in society. It is not a necessary triumph of majoritarian politics.

The ideology would commensurate with patterns and interests of the people in the long run. Although democracy is regarded to the best desired form of government in the modern society, it suffers defeat during elections onsuch assessment of the people forming the polity. Ugly part of democracy also evolves whenindividual liberties manifest towards individualistic interests.

Considering these aspects of democratic operation in society, democracy wouldredeem its long standing goals through agents and institutes responding sincerely to the enormous demands of the people. Leaders enjoying democratic mandate of the people must realize that the powers of democracy resonate on societal values and change, which people regularly attach in their normal ventures.

Our society is no exception to the findings of democracy drawn from various societal lessons, because elections offer good avenues to reflect societal polity and values. For Nagas, when we are taken by a chunk of political movement withanguished frontiers, the lot of elections across the business has spawned an added importance to question.

More importantly, the helm of power being employed by certain groups to curb free and fair poll would only defeat the organizational objectives of entering electoral politics. The larger scope behind ideal elections cannot be ruled out in our society even while there are justified election maneuvers and plans done exclusively.

It is to not think pragmatic over a game of elections in our own world frame while at the same time subscribe to the election mode which has tremendous impactand modernity over the age. Open platform of debatenowoperates in large partsof India during elections, which is anticipated by all.

Voters here don’t expect money from candidates but are eager to hear from candidates the issues and programme ahead. The system has been successful in conforming to values of choosing a leader on actual assessment point. On account of these understandings of democracy and politics, though limited, and which has included Naga’s situation, I reasonably see the current political formula of our actors a disdain record.

The critic applies to all sections of the state in Manipur. Worst government that can be imagined has been voted to power in recent past and should hence recast wisdom to see change in our land. However, with election sizzles grappling our homes, I humbly feel concerned and thus urge our folks that anything of violence and ‘force’ is to discard; anything of peace and respect welcome.

Shall we not envy our society on respectable and honorable ground? Threats and ploy in tune with ‘election regale’ only shows how much one place on thewrong laneof politics. Look to a world so wide and clear, lest we all rest with elections under India’s ‘brute state’.