After death comes - Doctor

Kambam Ibohal Singh *

Re-poll election at Chandel District on March 04 2012 :: Pix - Bullu Raj

The election to the 10th Manipur Legislature Assembly was held on 28th January, 2012 amid turmoil, violence and killing despite deployment of 350 Coys of para-troopers to ensure free and fair election. Was the ECI satisfied with the deployment of 350 Coys of para-military forces to conduct the single-phase election?

Manipur has been reeling under hostile activities of various rebel outfits for a long time now. In this context, did the ECI do the needful? Immediate reinforcement of security forces is a must to contain the situation arising out of the untoward incidents.

But contradictory tales have come up over the incident at Tampi polling station in Chakpikarong (Chandel district) in which polling personnel were killed in indiscriminate firing by NSCN (IM) cadres. Rs 10 lakhs cannot bring life to the deceased. It was the most unfortunate poll-related incident perpetrated by the armed outfit to focus public attention intentionally. Were the accountabilities for the victims rest on their own fate ?

On 14th February, 2012, re-polling in 34 polling stations of the hill districts was conducted. In that re-poll, voters were frisked before entering inside the polling booths to cast their votes and security forces were fully alerted. However, no such measures were taken up even in selected highly sensitive polling stations on 28th January, 2012. This has put a big question mark on to how free and fair the election was.

"Cautioned IM men" after the killing incident, sounds ridiculous. The NSCN (IM) had already done their remarkably well. Action-less and ambiguous statement from any Central leaders after each and every incident involving loss of human lives and properties is not a new thing and it is not acceptable to the people of the state.

This reminds us of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's visit to Mizoram to take stock of law and order situation there while Manipur was burning under the worst law and order situation in the wake of proposed and unsuccessful attempt of NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah's visit his native village in Manipur with the consent of the Union Home Minister.

The election held on 28th January 2012 was full of poll-irregularities. Besides booth-capturing, proxy voting, threatening the voters at gun-point, misuse of postal ballots, non-deletion or inclusion of names of death people in the electoral rolls, etc, there was free flow of black money.

Many more complaints are likely to come up since the candidates get ample time to look into the malpractices and unfair means adopted by their opponents. As for the strength of candidates to exert money power, the media report over the galore of currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations in fish stalls, chicken centres and other shopping malls on the next day of the election was enough to open the eyes of anybody.

A few days ahead of the polling day, like pilgrimage, there was heavy rush of party workers/agents every day just to have a panic party at the residences of the candidates. That was the starting point of the flow of black money with a long list of voters for bartering their franchises with currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000.

These active workers were the only connectivity between the candidates and the voters as people called them bloody eye of the candidates. All the expendable amounts of the candidates on road show, street meeting, flag hoisting ceremony, poster, exhibition cards, etc, were evidence to prove futility and hollowness in the norms lay down by the ECI.

There must be a mechanism to check the number of workers to act in this sinister deed. Only registered/approved workers should be allowed to work for the candidates under the aegis of the Observers and their Agents.

So far, no achievements of the observers have been seen in the eyes of the public. This may not be treated as undemocratic since so many things were done undemocratically in the name of democracy.

The people of India have experienced election in the absence of electoral reforms over the last 60 years or so. Candidates won the election or got elected by dint of money power or by threatening the voters at gun-point or through use of muscle power.

As a result, people are still eager to get the real service of a true patriot or a public servant in the truest sense. As such, it would be a blatant lie to hope and expect even a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel, i.e. to the full satisfaction of the people.

*** This article was written before the result of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election 2012 was announced.