An Ambitious Fourteen

Seram Neken *

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Leader Arvind Kejriwal :: Pix - Wikipedia/TY(ThinkingYouth)

Manipur needs another Kejriwal.
Even though you can't be another Kejriwal, you can be near to this symbolic personality. When you can be as simple as the common people, your popularity will ever remain with the people.

Pessimists bade adieu to the old year with utmost notoriety, while optimists welcome the new year with full of hopes and ambitions. People of Manipur have emotionally relieved themselves from all kinds of vices happened in the state during 2013. Last year was full of riddles – such as the mystery over killings of drivers, obscurity over tragic murder of Satyabhama, deaths due to medical negligence, haul of unclaimed drugs at Imphal airport, bomb blasts in security congested city areas, so on and so forth.

With the coming of a new year, the Sewerage Project in Imphal city is aged 12 years now but the feasibility of the scheme is still not in sight. In 2013, Manipur was upgraded to the status of a developed state, thereby losing the funding for various sponsored schemes of India Government. Border imbroglio unfolded in the year 2013 will probably continue to entangle in 2014.

Two bomb blasts welcomed the year at the dawn of 1st January last. The blasts at Singjamei Sapam Leikai riverbank and at Pishum river bank, however claimed no life. On the second day of the year, a 44 years old woman was stabbed to death by her owned nephew inside her grocery shop at Kiyamgei Muslim Awang Leikai in Imphal West. The alleged murderer, who was a drug user, snatched gold ornaments and cash from the deceased woman.

On 4th January, a 26 year old youth succumbed to his injury after his friends reportedly assaulted him on charge of stealing a mobile handset at Lamka in Churachandpur district. These negative reports could not deter the reporters from filing development stories for the front pages.

The New Year has also brought good news for Manipur, as the state cabinet gave nod to establishment of an Immigration Centre at the Imphal Airport and an office for Visa-on-arrival at Moreh on the 4th day of the year. Approval for setting up of IIIT in Bishnupur district and the Manipur Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Finance Establishment) Bill, 2012 to check duping of depositors with false promises of high returns by Multi Level Marketing networks were the outcome of the first Cabinet meet of the year. On January 3, the Minister of Works inspected the MSRTC complex at Dimapur for reutilization by the state.

The last year nevertheless brought glory to Manipur, as state mountaineers conquered the Mount Everest and the state claimed champions of the International Polo tournament.

That the Nat Sankirtan of Manipur gained global recognition under UNESCO was a big leap in 2013. The creation of a State Language Directorate was good news for Manipur, although we are yet to feel its presence. 2013 produced numerous writers and poets with book release functions featured on a wide scale on daily basis. Will the year 2014 produce equal magnitude of readers in Manipur ?

Last year was overwhelmed with Housie Draws in the nook and corner of Imphal city. But from the very first day of this year, we have not seen wide-scale advertisements of Housie in newspapers. Thanks to the social organizations putting a check on the public gambling.

The year 2013 gave birth to an apostle of fairness in Indian polity. The success of Shri Arbind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadami Party in Delhi Assembly elections was really an attempt towards sweeping corruption from public life.

The year 2014 is still appreciable as his Aam Aadmi Party gained the vote of confidence in Delhi Assembly on the second day of the year. Coincidentally, the President of India gave consent to Lokpal and Lok Ayukta Bill 2013 on the New Year Day. Twenty Fourteen is probably the beginning of an era where corruption will find its way out from public life in the country.

Arvind Kejriwal, the 7th Chief Minister of Delhi, is well-known for his efforts to bring out the Right to Information (RTI) Act at grassroots level and his role in drafting a proposed Jan Lokpal Bill.

Winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2006, Kejriwal launched the Aam Aadmi Party in 2012 and defeated Sheila Dixit in 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election. Before entering electoral politics, he was actively involved with the Team Anna, a strand of the Indian anti-corruption movement. The vegetarian Kejriwal believes in the maxim "Change begins with small things".

Earlier, Kejriwal had used the Right to Information Act in corruption cases in many government departments including the Income Tax Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Public Distribution System and the Delhi Electricity Board. On his was to the Oath Taking function as the Delhi Chief Minister, he proceeded by train. He refused to own the Luxury Bungalows, VIP Cars and Security protocol. Kejriwal always likes to serve the common men by staying with the common people.

Politicians of today, particularly of Manipur state need to imitate the good features of Arvind Kejriwal, whose simplicity and commonness are highly called for in Manipur today. Can't Manipur give birth to a second Kejriwal in the ensuing parliament elections?

Political leaders in Manipur usually try to distance themselves from their people while the bureaucrats often forget that they are public servants. Security cover is considered a fashion among most politicians, bureaucrats and officers in the state.

Most public leaders sitting in costly luxury vehicles with security guards behind always try to be off the common people from whom they have derived their power. Arvind Kejriwal is a total contrast to Manipur Politicians. The birth of Arvind Kejriwal in Indian polity makes the year 2014 an ambitious one.

Voice Of The Week

Welcoming the ambitious Twenty Fourteen, the Voiceless Speaks wishes its readers a peaceful life sans bandhs, blockades, bomb blasts, murders, molestations, rapes, so on and so forth. May the year 2014 be the dawn of an era for a corruption free public life.