Manipur Assembly election – 2017 : A call for exercising collective wisdom

Dr AK Chishti *

Polling for Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats in Manipur valley districts in January 2016 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

Most crucial days with regard to the formation of 5 year’s (2017-2022) Government to come, are at hand now. Minds of the electorates are now engaged in deciding whom to be entrusted with the responsibility of representing them and their constituency as an MLA for the next 5 year’s term. Political parties vs political parties, candidates vs candidates and supporters vs supporters are in the battle field.

Verily the dates March 4 and 8 are the most crucial days for our State with peculiar problems like the protection of territorial integrity, hill and plain divide, increasing demand for sovereignty of Manipur, unsolved repeated economic blockade adding to the people’s miseries and introduction of ILP system in the State notably. In short the new government if formed with incompetent and misfit MLAs cannot boldly face this critical situation/condition.

We know that from the misfits alone came out the fortune seekers often changing their colour a phenomenon in India observed during party ticket distribution before election and after election for the berth in the ministry.

They have no qualms of conscience which is associated with the mind of competent and honest leaders. 5 years term is too valuable a time for the people to be represented by such elements or parties with such elements. The situation demands leaders with high scale competency and integrity who can protect the interest of the people in safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur, the common interest of all communities by removing the mistrust in them.

In short the ongoing conflict – horizontal with the neighbouring State and the vertical with the Center is to be resolved peacefully and amicably by the new government that cannot be a government run by incompetent leaders but by strong and fully determined leaders who enjoy the people’s confidence and support.

A rare chance once in 5 years to come out of the situation or failing which to continue further the miseries – we all hate to see and abhor is before us today to decide our future. The situation is really challenging for all of us. It is not, for a particular constituency or a particular community or hill or plain. If the ship that carries all of us sinks we die together. In the context of the XI Manipur assembly Election 2017 on March 4 and 8 a rare chance and opportunity to send up the competent and honest representatives is given to the people for shaping their future.

For sure the election is not a selection of a candidate for a post under recruitment rule (RR). Seven decades are not enough still for the nation to learn that the election still continues to be treated as rituals – a series of actions that are always performed in the same way – especially as part of a religious ceremony, the difference here is that the ritual is not religious but political in that the electorates are ritually sacrificed on the altar of running the Government.

During the service of course instead of religious leaders, the political leaders talk or give the sermon. Are we really ready to be ritually sacrificed as in the previous election, is a question or moot point today.

Whereas the democratic system of government demands full participation of the people more precisely the electorates in running their own affairs by involving themselves in investing hard earned money in various forms of taxes to the government to run itself in the public interest.

Electorates are therefore the stakeholders a fact already acknowledged throughout the world. Representatives are not the masters, as the government is not run on their own money. They can’t think of themselves as kings. They are specially elected to serve the people not vice-versa. Powers, privileges and immunity they enjoy are entitled for the purpose of serving the people.

In practice, however, it is otherwise we all know & feel bad to find them misusing the power and positions. People involved themselves only once in five years in our democratic country, alas! The so called people’s government thus run by the their representatives in the last 70 years cannot be said to have done justice worth the name – social, economic and political and also cannot claim to have given equal status and opportunity to all sections of people as promised in the constitution.

A deep and careful examination of our own thought, feelings and reasons for behaving in the way we have been thinking so far, is now called for a deep introspection – one electorate’s introspection will not help – it should be the collective responsibility to exercise with wisdom. This alone can change our way and find the right path and direction. The hour and the moment are very close March 4 & 8.

Almost all the representatives (MLAs or MPs) we elected earlier are our experiences. Pre and post-election behaviour of most of the representatives were seen with no consistencies. That is an indication of their valuation of the electorates. The respect and regard shown by the candidates during the election campaign will not be the same after the election is over – that is the end of electorate’s day. We will very soon experience that situation again.

A competent candidate will never change rather the responsibility given to him/her by his/her people or electorates will be discharged by taking them into confidence. He will not see who supported him or not to elect him. Party’s interest cannot be considered above the interest of an assembly constituency to him.

The representatives of such a kind must be the electorate’s choice. People will definitely find in him the required: virtues, competency, integrity and honesty. We the electorates are to blame ourselves for the mistakes/misjudgement if we fail to elect the right candidate as we are always responsible prima facie to choose our representatives – He did not elect himself.

Let there be hundreds of candidates in the fray but one who is competent and with high morality and integrity should be chosen. This is election not selection and appointment under a specific Recruitment Rules.

It is also expected that a competent Representatives has the full knowledge and experience
(1) of statistical information of his constituency on various subjects like population, social, educational, economic structure/condition, employment and problem,
(2) of organizing and conducting public meeting to ascertain their opinion/views relating to the State, regional, national and global concern in a democratic manner,
(3) of different languages, traditions and customs of various communities,
(4) of making out cases clearly for the higher/concerned authorities or august House to understand the case for necessary consideration and action. Only the right thinking electorates in majority can save the erstwhile kingdom of Manipur from the impending danger.