Economic blockade, a boon in disguise !
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: September 17 2011 -

Pramod Ningombam from the desk

For all the communities settling along the NHs of Manipur, blocking of NHs in pursuance of a particular demand has become so frequent and is deemed so effective that it is now the first and last resort to kick start any agitation.

As Manipuris we have come across a number of economic blockades. Some were very severe blockades while some others not so. But all these economic blockades have always targeted the innocent and common people, leaving aside whether the blockade initiators achieve their targeted goal or not. The only who gains from blockades is, undeniably, the businessmen of the state.

The present economic blockade initiated by the SHDDC in their demand for a full fledged Sadar Hills district has been going on for the last one and a half months.

The agitators, this time seem to be totally committed to their demand that even the women have joined in with fast unto death. Apart from this, the agitators have even resorted to burning of goods laden trucks along the NHs, not sparing even the medicine laden trucks.

The most important impact the economic blockade has given to the society, is the rise in price of all the essential commodities. The prices of all essential commodities has risen sky high.

Not just that, certain commodities have completely disappeared from the market, they are just not available in the market even if one is willing to pay any price for them. Where has the Consumer Clubs and Consumer Protection society gone? By now they should have already shown their faces.

Nobody seems to care about this problem, forget about the politicians who are the servants of the people.

If the people themselves don't care, will the politicians care for them? Of course, one get to hear a handful of people crying out against the price hike, that also, only in newspaper and televisions.

But what is most embarrassing and surprising is that majority of people in the state seems not to bother about the steep rise in price. They seem to be quite contented with the way things are going.

May be, this is because the impact is not as much severe as one had expected. Or is it because people are getting used to it, considering that it has become a regular happening.

Whatever be the reason, one can't deny the fact that the Manipuris are in fact very tolerant people when it comes accepting price hike.

This was not the case days back. In the past, the people of Manipur had even revolted against Kings over a slight rise in the price of essential commodities, particularly rice.

In 1960 four students including a girl were shot dead by security forces when the students rallied on a fateful day begging for rice to be made available in the state. The day is still observed as Hunger Marchers’ Day by AMSU.

Can we say that those people then were not tolerant enough? Or are the Manipuris over tolerant now. Shouldn't tolerance have its limits? If yes, we have to accept that the attitude of the Manipuris clearly shows that the situation in hand is at a tolerable level.

Thank GOD, the economic blockade has after all increased the tolerance of the people.

Lucky we, we of this generation are proud to be under the regime of the economic blockades. It's indeed a boon in disguise !