Waarem-waachoi

By:- Heigrujam Nabashyam *

Last week's incident of the gunshot injury of the advocate general N. Koteshore Singh, involving two ministers of the SPF government has once again brought to light the manner the chief minister resolves problems, issues etc. Speaking to the press at the hospital probably after seeing the injured AG, the chief minister categorically ruled out any enquiry as it was an accident and the concerned minister had already told him the truth and also owned up the responsibility of the incident.

The body language of the Chief Minister clearly indicated that the incident be better treated as their private matters and hence it should, more or less be a closed chapter for the public forgetting that it involves public leaders – his cabinet colleagues, which could not have been told better then in the March 9 editorial of Imphal Free Press.

Funnily, it was the threat of the advocates to take even the Chief Minister to the court for wilful violation of law that forced the chief minister make a U-turn and eventually stated in the August House that the law will take its own course.

However quite ironically, seldom in the past, has any Chief Minister of Manipur or even a prime minister of India, ever propose and exhort the common men – the Aam aadmi, so profusely to join him in carrying out his duties and functions of any national importance in the true spirit of democracy ; even Barack Obama, the American president distinguished by his inclusiveness, is not that generous in his approach to the American people like Mr. O. Ibobi Singh, the chief minister of Manipur.

It is purely to the credit of the present chief minister that a new chapter in the contemporary political history of Manipur has open – an inclusive democratic governance ! It is really heartening to hear the chief minister calling upon the common men "Eikhoi mayaam Poon-na hotnaminnasi, poon-na touminnasi" – let us all join together and work together and strive together – and perhaps even share the benefits and his iconic percentage, together ! – whenever he finds an opportunity.

And without fail most local vernacular dailies and the local cable TV would carry his message to the readers and the viewers. This is certainly a healthy development, and such a call from the chief minister of a blighted state, must be appreciated and responded positively. But the chief minister must show his sincerity instead of repeating the same mantra again and again.

During the last July 23, 2009 BT Road episode, the public had appealed the chief minister at the very beginning to agree to a judicial enquiry or the case be handed over to the CBI to find out the truth in the true collective spirit – his favorite theme, instead of his government's agencies whose credibility have been seriously questioned.

However, contrary to his popular call of "Mayaam poon-na" – of collective spirit – he acted in a queer manner, far from the spirit he propagated. And the episode cost Manipur 4 months of education for 80 per cent of the students, 4 months' remuneration of the teachers of the private institutions and 4 months of public tranquility. I do not know how much it had cost the O. Ibobi Singh government, apart from the few lakhs of Rupees dubiously paid to the victims' family and to the agitation leaders, as was reported to buy peace.

Now, take any public issue in the last 8 years or so of the SPF government ; was there any case where the chief minister ever acted in a responsible manner compatible to his democratic call of Mayaam Poon-na – of collective spirit, and resolve any issue without putting the common men-the public into trouble – be it the Mayek issue or the Manorama issue or any of the numerous issues of the students, etcetera ? None ?

The 2 months-going employees' strike would add another feather in the cap of the chief minister. In fact, the modus operandi of resolving an issue of the O. Ibobi Singh government is, the chief minister would wait till the students or the strikers got tired with their dharanas, bandhs, strikes, fires, etc., and become weak and vulnerable, as if he is fighting against an adversary or an enemy or as if he is playing a Test match of criket, and not a One-Day match.

Of course, once bitten, twice shy – remember, Integrity Day, 2003! – there is one exception to this rule, the chief minister would go any extra mile, if his adversary happens to be ANSAM (All Naga Students' Association, Manipur), to meet their demands.

A chief minister is the first public servant of the state, so also the prime minister is the top public servant of the country. For resolving public issues, the chief minister does not need to be a fighter, because he is not fighting against an adversary or an enemy. And theoretically and practically he represents the government of the state.

For effective discharge of his functions and duties he and his cabinet colleagues are assisted by a huge team of government servants right from the chief secretary down to the grade IV who are selected and trained according to the government's requirements. And the public servants or the political leadership of the government provides the policy vision of the government on which they won the elections, voted by the students and the strikers, etc. This is true for any government in the democratic world.

When the chief minister called upon the public – the common men to help him in the discharge of his functions and duties, it was at the height of the democratic collective spirit of the chief minister and anyone would have welcomed the call.

However judging by the way of his style of functioning, one can only say with great disappointment that his call of "Mayaam poon-na" proves only to be a funny Waarem-waachoi – silly inane talk. It is a sad commentary on a call, which could have been an important milestone in the political history of Manipur, and the chief minister O. Ibobi Singh has only himself to blame for the missed historic opportunity.