Since India attained her independence in 1947, we hardly heard of pulling out developments or shifting Government institutions, industries, factories, etc. from one State to another just because some underground elements started interfering into its functioning. But we kept hearing that the Government used to reinforce its security to protect the public properties---be it educational institutions or hospitals or markets, etc---whenever there was militant threats.

The one central idea of evolving to give more funds for the developments like opening factories, industries, educational institutions, road communications and construction of new roads especially to the insurgency-infested northeastern region was to wean away insurgencies. Because lack of developmental activity in the northeastern region was one of the root causes of militancy.

There are two schools of thought came up sometimes in various seminars, symposia and public discussions about the importance of development and peace. There are arguments that without developments, there can be no peace, while somebody is firm that without peace, there can be no development. Actually both development and peace are interrelated and should go side by side. But in reality, development should be the central theme to earn for peace, which in turn will pave the way for any solution. Because you cannot organize peace when there is vacuum, which has be filled up first for any next step to go. With this concept, the Government of India, State Governments in the region and various agencies started pumping funds and formulating different kind of strategies to develop the region.

Paradoxically, there is a reported move by the authorities of the North Eastern Council (NEC) to shift one of the oldest premier Regional Medical Colleges---popularly known as Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS)---from its present location, Imphal, to Shillong, on the ground that some underground elements started interfering into its functioning.

True, Manipur is one of the worst insurgency hit States in the northeastern region and the prevailing environment is not conducive at all for any kind of developmental activities. And the people of Manipur is going to pay a heavy price in future because of their children’s missing of considerable amount of study period over the years due to frequent bandhs, strikes, agitations, etc.

It will not be far off to see the real outcome of what is happening today in Manipur.

But do we study how insurgency had happened in the region and why it continues till date? Do we really try to diagnose the syndrome of the region?

I don’t mind the ignorance of the mandarins in Delhi but it is ridiculous if the officers of the NEC have become scatterbrained on the reality. They are supposed to fight and convince Delhi to sanction more funds, more medical colleges, engineering colleges, factories and industries because the NEC was formed with the sole idea of bridging the economic imbalances between the north eastern region and the mainland India. Why not every State in the region has Medical college, more engineering colleges, etc. instead of trying to shift one from one State to another.

When the whole country and even the think tank of this country in collaboration with various personalities of the region tried to come up with certain policy and programs to find ways to bring the region more closer and solve its protracted insurgency problem, how could the NEC think to take such decision. Are we not giving chance to those elements tending to weaken the social and democratic fabric of the country. Let them disturb but it should be the policy of authorities to defeat them through continuous developments. In such a way, we can win over the hearts of the common men.

Undergrounds’ interference in public functioning was not an exception to Manipur. We have seen this in many parts of the region. We have witnessed how ULFA had blasted many oil pipelines and even Bodo militants exploded passenger trains, bridges, etc. in Assam. Should we threaten to pull out train services and stop oil explorations in Assam just because militant organizations disturbed and caused harms?

One should be extremely careful while dealing, writing and talking about the northeastern region because it is too sensitive. It is multi-faceted problems and whoever assigned for the region should be thorough of the area.

At the same time, we should also remember that there are people who have been striving hard to bring some solutions, although it is the responsibility of those who are at the helms of affairs. It is also Constitutional obligation for those who are in power to protect the lives and properties of the publics. They cannot shirk their responsibilities---be it in any situation.

We should always fight for more medical colleges, universities, industries, factories, sports complexes, construction of new roads, for not only the State of Manipur but also all the northeastern States generally affected by insurgencies. But philosophy of shifting one medical College from Manipur to elsewhere in the region is not going to solve the problem of insurgency; rather it will be doing more harm than repairing to the crippled Manipur.