An opportune breather
- Imphal Times Editorial :: June 10 2016 -

While the valley area of the state is just about starting to limp back towards what one could expectantly term as relative normalcy, the tribals who are against the alleged Anti-Tribal Bills have imposed a total shutdown on all tribal areas of Manipur- a vindictive move often carried out to counter any movement or process the tribal bodies contend are against their interest.

The protracted tussle between the different communities residing in the state has rendered any progressive activities incomplete and untenable, not to mention the deepening social chasm that is threatening to tear the fragile social fabric beyond repair.

The past few months in the buildup to the all political party delegation heading to the national capital to obtain assent of the three Bills from the president of India has been a chaotic and disturbing one, to put it mildly.

Now that two of the Bills- The Manipur Land Reform and Land Revenue (Seventh Amendment) Bill 2015 and The Shops & Establishment (2nd Amendment) Bill 2015 are currently being examined by a panel of experts for reasonable conclusion, while the third and the real object of contention- The Protection of Manipur People Bill 2015 have been handed down without the assent of the President of India to be re-examined by legal & Constitutional experts for a new legislation to protect and preserve the indigenous people of Manipur looking into all aspects of Hill and Valley people of Manipur.

While the opposing parties have their reservations about the whole outcome evident in the way both reacted to the development, the bewildered public is still at a loss as to what to make of it all.

Has the announcement of a cease-work strike just after news of the outcome in the national capital mean that the whole movement and the months of agitations and relentless protests have been in vain?

Or is the total shutdown of all tribal areas in Manipur a way of demonstrating the frustrations of the tribal people who would have nothing of the notion of a device to safeguard the interests and the very future of the indigenous inhabitants of the land?

If there has to be any sort of progress or hope of a breakthrough from the rut the much maligned and contended Bill have been stuck in, now is the perfect time, and the state government should abstain from politicizing the issue which will rake up more and unwanted distractions proving the whole process an exercise in futility, and more frighteningly, might possibly turn out to be that spark igniting the dormant social tensions and exploding into an uncontrollable internecine feud wiping out the very future for which the social movement is being launched.

Now that the points of contention from both the opposing parties have been laid bare, the state government and the central government should take proactive steps to allay the fears of the people in the state and make earnest efforts to resolve the issue in the interest of the public which has been at the receiving end for as long as anyone cared to remember.