Fabian grazing fields

N. Arunkumar *

The Congress in power appears to be hell bent on retaining their stranglehold in the Northeast region, even at the cost of the party's embarrassment on major issues of everyday importance.

The ongoing tussle between the people and the administration regulated by the Ibobi government in Manipur is a strange case, to say the least. The people have been agitating against this government for quite some time now.

The opposition has gained a momentum of it's own following the Khwairamband incident of July 23, in which Rabina and Sanjit were killed in broad daylight on the streets of the busy Imphal market area. The drama that unfolded subsequent to the killings has been watched with horror by all of us.

We were certain that the government of Ibobi Singh would be taken to task for the senselessness behind the murders, by the centre and he would be asked to at least step down from the post of the CM.

However, that has not happened and instead we have seen him sitting comfortably, unperturbed by the cascading nature of events that have not stopped intensifying with each passing day now. We are watching with a sense of shock, the determined nature of the state government, evidently supported by the centre, and they seem resolute in defending their fortress together come what may.

If there are tangible benefits accruing to the people in the Ibobi government's fight to contain terrorism, it is yet to be palpably felt by us. Extortions, killings, intimidations, threats to almost all business ventures continue unabated, in spite of the stern actions of this government.

The worst sufferers in the stalemate happen to be the two districts of Imphal east and west that is bearing the brunt of these agitations the most. Schools have closed down, due to the adamant stand – off between student unions and the administration since the past 10 days now.

Nevertheless, the sad fact of the matter is that schools in other districts of Manipur are untouched and continue to work normally despite the so called class boycott stir in effect in the two districts.

What is the logic behind having a popular movement confined to just these two or three districts while the rest are allowed to continue normally? Why are only the students of these two districts suffering like this?

The government is assuredly unruffled by such disparity in the movement, as not all schools in Manipur are closed or following the diktats of the student unions.

Or, is it that 'All Manipur' is defined only by such small boundaries of the two districts? If this movement to topple the CM is to be of any concern, then it is imperative that it should have been embraced equally by all Manipur and not just limited boundaries.

The administration will note that only these two districts are worse affected by the mass movement and the other seven districts are doing quite fine in the course of this boycott call. Here again, it is the question of majority that wins the day.

Seven districts outnumber two by almost 350 %. The success rate in containing the agitation, on paper at least, is thus favorable to the government and not the agitators. This round of the battle has been won by the government hands down and not the agitators here.

The centre, which has no direct jurisdiction in the internal affairs of the state, is naturally satisfied with the performance of their stooge in Imphal, who has efficiently (at least in their view) handled the situation and brought it under control.

How can the centre be blamed for not considering any stern action against the CM then? The ruckus being acted out on the streets of Imphal east and west does not constitute All Manipur, and thus it will take a longer time for the administration to be exceedingly concerned about the damages that it will cause to the academic atmosphere of the state in general.

A disparity in political will has always been exploited by those in power in every kind of government in the world. In this case also, it is happening along those lines.

The other seven districts have not joined the movement wholeheartedly, if at all it wishes to pressurize the government to act decisively and bring it down on its knees. That does not seem likely to happen in the near future either, and thus this movement will also end in a compromise formula between the students and the government, while the only losers will be the innocent students of these two unfortunate districts. It is all a question of statistics only, in government parlance, which will suffice, even in the corridors of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, the people who are shouting themselves hoarse that the movement to contain Ibobi is a people – centric affair must rethink their margins in terming this struggle as that of All Manipur. At the moment, the fact is, that it is not so.

Delhi is farther away than the seven sister districts that constitutes Manipur. If any struggle does not transcend the borders of two or three districts and encompass the entire land collectively, then it is better not to add misery on the people, based on such limited theatres of action.

The disparity in political agreement between the districts, a much narrower playing field than otherwise, is bound to fail on many fronts including movements of a mass nature. The impasse that continues for now, is a reflection of this fact of governance.

It will be sensible to understand that socialism relies heavily on Fabian concepts, for realizing changes in the society rather than revolutionary means.

This is practically visible in the face of the ongoing agitations that are being mounted to oust the Ibobi Singh government. Success, if at all, will come late, and the price tag on it will be heavy. It will cost us a fortune to send one man home to his grazing fields.

At least, the asking price will be enormous apparently, for us who are inhabitants of Imphal East and Imphal West.