Action against those taking advantage of the political limbo
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: August 11 2011 -

Manipur is as usual gripped by political rife. Vehicles and government offices are being burned, highways are being blocked and people are being attacked and beaten by those irate with the government.

It is a thriving time for business for part time crooks who relish to make a quick buck taking advantage of the misery of the common man.

Consequently prices of commodities, which are not even scarce, but well stocked, have shot up. Potatoes cost anywhere from ' 35 to ' 40 per kg. A litre of petrol costs nearly ' 80, LPG cylinders cost ' 800 in the black market.

For once the police can freely swing their batons and receive public support. These blood sucking leeches are openly and unashamedly going about their dirty business of hoarding and hiking prices.

Husband and wife teams, without a trace of concern, discuss in sordid details the ways to make the extra buck in quick time.

It is ripe time for the police to act. They should act against the perpetrators of fraud with an iron fist.

The guilty should be immediately accosted and incarcerated. They should be booked under the strictest of Acts. And where required they should be publicly humiliated and soundly thrashed.

Since ours is a land of conflicting issues, bandhs and blockades have become a part and parcel of our political landscape. Those enforcing bandhs and blockades usually have a messianic attitude in carrying out their agenda, the fall out is that the common man almost always bear the brunt of their actions.

And since some of these actions are undertaken willfully, as we have witnessed through the years, it almost invariably lands up in making people suffer in misery.

There are lots of people who gloat over the misfortunes afflicting others. They regard such tragic times as god send opportunities to make quick dirty money. On questioning they will blandly term their activities as business acumen.

The collateral effects of artificially created price hikes are not issues to them. The simple fact that bringing up children, tending to their education, or running the kitchen entails extra expenditure makes no impact on the profiteers, go getters and the carpetbaggers.

The AMSU has once again taken a stellar and laudable step in spotting black market profiteers and cutting short their criminal activities.

If only the police were to take the lead the common man will breathe a deep sigh of relief. And there should be no two way measure in dealing with this nasty business.

Let us not forget the actions of these profiteers are in the same league with those of thieves and vehicles lifters.

If we let them go on with their criminal acts it would be like watching with admiration a pick pocket at work.