23/7 issue and cataclysmic blisterings

RS Jassal *

1. Issue is one and only one. Unfateful happening of 23 July, Zero Nine. Deaths of two, injuries of five and seeking legal & social justice for unlucky victims. I have purposely used 'unfateful' though others are using 'fateful' prefixed to any bad, sad, demoralising heartbreaking incidents, almost a daily occurrence in Manipur.

I fail to reconcile how it can be a day or night as fateful when one or more get injured, killed, maimed, land into psycho trauma situation due to natural or unnatural tragedies. So I revolt & beg to differ with those who are using terminology as 'fateful' in their day and night scribes.

2. Falling back to unfateful incident of 23 Jul, new and newer dimensions are getting added to the issue and generating proliferated missions day by day in additive data. Readers may draw their own deductions after the write up is ballooned till released to the press.

Here is an anatomy of the issue.

One :- Instant statement (as fed by the Police Dept) on the firing case was read by the CM on the floor of the house since Assembly session was on. It is clear Media printed annoyance of CM when he said, "there is no other alternative (to face the UGs) and people will see who are the real rulers, they or we"? something akin to that in a remorseful tone.

Both the ruling & Opposition benches gave apparent nod of acceptance because of impact of news as firing was by the UG(s) to start with that too in a crowded place. And event moved on in its own style & leisurely motion till Tehelka expose appeared on front pages in almost all the State and local dailies on Aug 2, 2009. Magisterial Inquiry was ordered to collect the facts & establish the truth. Same was rejected by the JAC who instead asked for a Judicial Inquiry.

Two :- It developed into APUNBA LUP taking the field & focused on 'no inquiry' but call for CM to step down, followed by strict strictures on Madam Landhoni too with malaise further affecting Governor to be castigated if no action or justice was met within stipulated days of 20-30. Madam Landhoni, sociologically speaking, has nothing to do with the incident other than that she happens to be CM's wife and a legislator.

His Excellency the Governor Shri Gurbachan Jagat comes into play only when all the inquiry & judicial systems requisite to meet ends of justice exhaust or unnecessary delays occur in the justice procedure. Till then he has to receive the petitions & memorandums & monitor progress. So why should he be prejudiced upon so hastily. It shows haughtiness. He, being upholder of the Constitution and as head of the State has to act within Constitutional provisions only.

There are certain situations which empower him to recommend to the MHA to dismiss the Govt which is again beyond the scope of this paper. However the current situation does not warrant as CM enjoys the support of more than 31. Fact finding process has neither been completed nor allowed to be completed. MHRC, which is a semi Govt body, can not be equated with judicial inquiry.

Yes, once Govt completes its inquiry, action taken process is made public; the complainants then get entitled to approach Commission if justice is not met. Thus, their action at this stage comes as antithesis & only fuelling the situation. Case of Mohammed Kasab, prime accused in 26/11 Mumbai tragedy be noted. He has admitted his crime & involvement, likely to be hanged but Indian Constitution dictates accused of any origin, (State, non-State or beyond State) has to be provided with legal assistance at the Govt expenses for his protection to the last end possible if accused doesn't have the resources to employ. Anyway treat it as a side issue but it is illuminating and speaks hundred words. So, patience is needed and unless inquiry is completed person (s) judicially tried, no punishment can be discharged.

Three :- MPP, the main Opposition intensified march with BJP in the support and took cudgels against CM with air dash to Delhi, with pre flight declaration that PR was being brought to Manipur by them despite the fact that there were no visible cracks in SPF Govt directly or indirectly. CPI Parliamentarian group hinted withdrawal of support to SPF Govt in solidarity to the agitators which meant Parijat, Minister for Health & FW and Dr Nara as convenor of SPF to go.

But after reaching New Delhi airport the bag carrying message was dusted clean as if nothing of this sort was ever thought of. Interestingly, both groups preferred to visit Ms Sharmila Irom on fast unto death for the past over eight years, which was a good gesture. However, they did not appreciate that State was in attendance to her to save her life by all means specially nose feeding.

Nose feeding is comparatively expensive to normal feeding in saving a life as per medical experts & those who have knowledge of this technology as a life sustaining kit. Her grievance, determination, assiduity to the cause apart, which is again not the aim to contest in this write up, but no visiting politician/HR activists/mainland media is ready to appreciate Govt's effort, which appears to influence & persuade her to call off her fast since AFSPA applicability within 8 kms radius of Imphal Municipality stands withdrawn on trial basis though ironically spate in killings and extortions has not reduced.

Earlier, it was done by UG elements and later, it started to be done by odd IRB sepoys individually or in connivance with unscrupulous guys mostly surrendered UG personnel living as retired but yet extorting for parent organisations. Meira Paibies also joined the drum beating.

Four :- UNLF, a respected organisation of UGs, who have at least one common cause on their agenda for all Manipuris ie to protect integrity of Manipur against the backdrop of NSCN's call for Nagalim after observing situation for some days declared 'Yakhok Lan' (WAR) against State Govt which means Central Security Forces too blaming Centre for all the ills & ailments of Manipur.

Five :- A substantive number of MLAs from ruling party reminded CM to honour his commitment to replace Ministers to accommodate them as agreed to by him two years back to diffuse the then standoff also started rattling the CLP kettle.

3. With the emergence of this proliferation, the new twist has been added to the issue by a call given by AMSU followed by MSF to close the schools with unreasonable embargos on the private Schools to reimburse fees of affected students to their parents for the days schools remain so closed & private tuitioners also to suspend their activity. Analyse this activity which is miles apart from initial issue of 23/7 in the light of the following facts.

(a) Final exams are close by.
(b) To say it is All Manipur Student Union though their writ runs up to 2 Km short of Yaigangpokpi on East, Sekmai on North, Kangchup Lamsang Khumbong on West, 5 Km short of CCPur in South & in the extreme South it is 5 Km short of Pallel, 80% geographical areas is out of their reach and influence. And classes at all other places are on Kendriya Vidyalas GC CRPF Langjing, Army Cantonment Liemakhong, and Assam Rifles Nodal School Mantripukhri are functioning. Is it fair to punish students & schools in less than 20% total geo-physicalities of Manipur when we talk about ONE Single entity—Manipur?
(c) Most of van taxis, auto taxis and some of school buses owe monthly instalments to the Banks. How will they pay? Is it fair to scuttle their economic activity?
(d) What about dictat on pay of teachers who are yet to be paid by private school authorities? And it is an open secret schools are in the pay of various UGs in various capacities on yearly basis.
(e) Their plea is 'No need of Education', unless Govt provides corruption free & fair administration and improves law and order situation. With this much manpower deprived of their Fundamental rights to education, will they be of use to student bodies for cleaning administration & fighting corruption. If so, how, has not been specified . How can you improve law & order, when the system in askance becomes themselves a tool of creating law & order problem. Think over it cool (ly).
(f) It is worth noting judicial inquiry is a very costly affair & serious too in nature & by implications. Whosoever gives statement gives so on oath & becomes liable to prosecution if proved otherwise. A very senior & experienced Justice so engaged by the Govt is paid fat honorarium under GoI Inquiry Commission Act to conduct inquiry. But people are discouraged to come forward to register their statements. How paradoxical? In this utter confusion created by ASHANTI, KRANTI AND BHARANTI, the main issue of 23/7 which is under probe is taking the back seat. In all fairness, judicial inquiry be co-operated sincerely to ascertain the truth & real facts so that the defaulter (s) can be booked and to enable State to take remedial measures for future rather than relying on age old adage 'all is fair in love & war' with only a new term to be added to it the 'confused consideration'.

4. To start with immediate action is needed by student bodies to roll back their diktat and understand their social responsibility as future building blocks of the Societies & Nation. Students as 'Danadpal' may be a few who will enjoy command & control, whereas each student has got father-mother, sister-brother, uncles-aunts hence part of a multiplier system who may be conferencing what to do next. Resentment of their(s) if coverts into rage, the student Union (s) in command may not be able to contain. No doubt there is a need to punish the guilty but by following set procedures. Question is day to day life can not be allowed to be disrupted. Well meaning UG outfits have a point in their grudges & grievances and demands but confrontationist attitude by both the State & Non State is putting it hard to provide a soothing space worth living for as a State.

Author has interacted with many intellectuals, youth and sons of soil who do not wish to come to the forefront to play their part but to remain content with a wish (with closed eyes in trance) for things to improve. How can the things improve with this state of mind unless core group from them decide to plunge in & mould the views of diehard leaders from frontal organisations & Non State. With sincere efforts, dialogue can be started & rapprochement brought. Whether state or non state we are making laughing stock of ourselves for others living in reasonably well run States in the neighborhood. Differences are every where; let us not get bogged down.

In this murky situation author is shocked the way we have lost our right to dignity ourselves when we look the way a motor car loaded with destructive materials was trailed into Raj Bhawan. It is in no way failure of CID/Police staff on duty, it is failure on the part of so called 'gentlemen women' by misusing their trust with SFs which all of us desire ie to be treated with love respect & compassion. What happened after killing of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi appeared as leader and provided envisioned leadership to India & in short span of time accelerated India's image to enviable heights. What will happen if IBOBI is out somebody else will replace, as CM but Constitutionally.

What will happen if Governor goes, may be, which only countable diehards desire so, there will be a new Governor. Constitution demands so. Who will call on His Excellency, naturally deserving & respectable persons only but bulk of them will now be put to inconvenience of facing strict & hawkish checks by the security staff, which generally nobody likes.
Every individual has his own dignity & wish to be respected. Let the good sense prevail on all the players that schools start functioning, enquiry is allowed to be completed, guilty are booked. Our police system works for improvement like fair recruitment, correct training to new entrants & refresher training for the existing constables Havildars & Inspectors for them to come up as 'Policeman of a new Age' as exhorted by Dr Manmohan Singh, the PM, turn over of IRB Bns with IRB Bn from & within East & NE States in phases and strengthen sub-Divisional HQs with deployment of at least 100 IRBs men with a SDO so that national developmental activities get accelerated and nation building target is achieved in its true essence to thwart external threats(ISI) which have crept in from across IBs & the Seas in various forms: writings are showing on the wall, observe them minutely.