Achhey Din Aane Wale Hein! Will Narendra Modi's 'Good Days' reach Manipur?

Seram Neken *

BJP Manipur team meet with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on 6th January 2014 :: Pix - Media Cell, BJP, Manipur

What does 'Achhey Din' mean to Manipuris? Will Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the centre decide to remove the controversial AFSPA 1958, against which legendary hunger striker Irom Chanu Sharmila has been fasting for over a decade? Will the new government amend the Indian Constitution Article no. 3 to disallow threats to territorial integrity of Manipur? Will the new government frame laws to extend the Manipur Land Revenue & Land Records Act to all parts of Manipur to maintain uniformity and increase emotional unity? Will the BJP government initiate establishment of ecological-friendly industrial units in the state to provide employment to the thousands of unemployed youths of Manipur? Will the central government initiate actions for development of human resources of Manipur?

The whole India is rejoicing for a change towards progress and development under Narendra Modi, while Manipur is feeling complacency with congress party's performances at the centre and the state under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi respectively.

A post-mortem of the election results throughout India has raised pertinent questions regarding voters of Manipur.

First, whether the people of Manipur have deep-rooted satisfaction in the Congress Party's performance in the state and at the centre?

Second, Is the BJP Manipur Unit weak enough in mobilizing the voters with NaMo wave in such an opportune moment?

Third, whether the money and muscle power of the incumbent party swayed away the people's true mandate?

Fourth, is there a considerably wide gap between politics of mainland India and that of Manipur state? Fifth, whether the Manipur voters are unconscious of political changes occurring in the country?

Overwhelming defeat of the Indian National Congress in 2014 parliament elections has been attributed to mis-governance and corruption. The defeat of a number of scam-tainted prominent congressmen who earlier held top ministerial posts reveals that people of India voted against corruption. Moreover, people can no longer be mesmerized by the hero worship culture and dynastic rule of Indian National Congress, as quality or merit or capability of politicians is increasingly counted nowadays.

Congress party, as a tradition, tags on fielding offspring candidates following the demise of its leaders without taking into account the quality of the newcomers. Manipur also witnessed numerous offshoot politicians who became leaders overnight on dynastic principles. There are, of course, capable and merited political subsidiaries among them, who went by the footsteps of their family elders. But, whenever the leaders in familial hierarchy lose their capacity to fulfill the aspirations of their forefathers, it defiles the whole tradition of dynastic leadership. Rahul Gandhi has probably set the example in the recent elections.

In the midst of political upheaval causing a bumper change-of-guard in Indian leadership, Congress in Manipur has successfully retained the two parliamentary seats. In such a tedious political scenario in the state, real development appears to be a far cry. In fact, people of Manipur have neither seen development nor are they going to see it in the near future.

The governance in Manipur has featured only the conservative approaches such as repairing and construction of roads, erection of new buildings and bridges, recruitment of security persons such as VDFs and Home Guards, appointment of school teachers etc. etc. The state government is yet to ponder over major aspects of development like sustainable agricultural and industrial growth, employment generation, ecological balance, abundant power, adequate potable water, proper housing and sanitation, modern town planning and information technology.

What does development really mean to Manipuris now ? Real progress is to be measured with indicators like sustainability and durability of projects, maximum utilization of human resources, environment-friendly progress utilization of natural resources, adequate employment to citizens, work culture and productivity.

'Good days are coming' is the tagline of the Modi-led campaign which resulted to the worst ever defeat of the Indian National Congress in 2014 parliament elections. The people of India, as a whole, have ousted the dynastic and scam-inflicted rule of the United Progressive Alliance led by Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, who have readily accepted their responsibilities for the collapse. The saffron party, usually blamed for sidelining minority communities, could perform better than what the exit polls of various media houses had predicted.

Will the change in India be reflected in Manipur? Will Modi's "Achhey Din" reach Manipur? Can state BJP stalwarts move Manipur forward to real progress? It is time for the BJP leaders of Manipur to put efforts for MODI-FICATION of this small and neglected border state.