As PR is out of option, our High Court seems to be the only hope left

Dr Th Suresh Singh *

With the dateline of assembly election approaching, President's rule is out of question now. Even if Modi Government wants it, it has to take elction Commmission's approval; and this is unlikely and impossible.

I still maintain that PR must have been imposed before election notification. Had that been, BJP would have won the assembly election hands down and form the new government. They missed that golden opportunity.

For Ibobi Govt. , if it handled the economic blockade properly- I mean by forcefully opening the 2 national highways with the help of central forces without blaming the centre and thereby making the essential commodities available – the congress govt. must have won the election hands down. Unfortunately both did not happen.

Interesting parleys continued on the other side. The highest court of the state, the Manipur High Court with full 3 member strength, is hearing a writ Petition filed by one R.k. Joy against the present economic blockade. The bench has shoot down many remarkable judgements .

A few of them are i) summoning of the who is who of the Army, CRPF , Border Security Force and Manipur Police on 21/1/2017 ii) asking the Centre to provide 76 more companies of force, asking the army to arrest anybody, asking the state to provide a magistrate and promulgate CrPC144, asking the state to improve the condition of the road and asking the state to increase frequency of convoys in its judgement on 25/1/2017.

On 1/2/2017, the Court asked the concerned authority to execute its order dt 25th and 31st January '17. On 8th Feb.'17, IOC Divisional Manager and DGP, Manipur, attended the court . On 7th Feb, it summoned DGP again. All these are path-breaking and landmark in nature. Now, both the Centre and the state cannot remain a silent spectator with the high court coming out heavily on both and to those concerned authority. Hats off to the Hon'ble High Court.

Your writer have been asking in this column and other discussion fora why the state is unable to provide Petrol and other essential commodities to us? I have frequently asked why and what is the difficulty? The answer is now answered. That was sere political game with petrol black-marketers playing a major part.

After the high court intervened, now plenty of petrol and other commodities are available to the satisfaction of us common people. How is it ? Why so ? Very easy to answer. Every common people knew the answer.

Meanwhile, the high court parley continues. On 22nd this month, Additional Solicitor of India(ASGI) and joint Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs ( N-E) appeared before the high court . The Joint Secretary(Satyendra Garg) was asked to submit its report on 1st March. ASGI, Mr.SK Narasina told the court that the construction of the highway had been handed over to MHDCL and it needs major repair.

He further assured the court that a report in this regard would be submitted in the next session. AG, Manipur, I. Ibohal submitted that there has been open sale of petrol in 69 pumps and further submitted the list of prices of essential commodities.

UNC president Gaidon Kamei and information Secretary Shangkhel Stephen also attended the court same day. The court asked the 2 leaders about the illegal nature of the bandh and NH blockade. The 2 replied that they are ignorant of this rule.

The court then directed them to discuss the Supreme Court ruling with their lawyer and to appear on 27th again. In respect of other remaining office bearers, counsel for another 2 appeared only. For those who failed to appear, the court issued another directive to appear on 27th itself.

All these are widely reported. But our civil societies discuss it little. Our intellectuals discuss it little. Newspapers/channels don't have lawyer reporters who can cover it and analyse it thoroughly. We have to cover it widely; we have to discuss it thoroughly. Whatever the high court delivers, it will be a landmark in nature.

It will have a bearing not only in the present blockade but in the future as well. It will also have a bearing on the badly maintained Imphal-Jiri road. May be the final judgement will deliver a blow to all future blockade as well. Hence, its importance to us, to all Manipuris.

Meanwhile, we should continue our endeavour to bring our Naga-brethren into our main stream. We should continue to tell them that we belong to the same forefathers and same clan. That we settled 1st in the hills and spread later on to the valley. This is proved by scientific archaeological findings, cheitharol Kumpaba, puyas, myths and legends.

We should tell our Nagaland naga-brethren that kohima and surrounging tracts ie up to the southern slope of Naga hills once belonged to Manipur and was handed over to the present Nagaland by that incompetent king Chandrakirti in that famous Jilla darbar on board of the then Viceroy's Yacht on 11/8/1874. We have sacrificed enough and should leave us peacefully. Here, 'we' means all Manipuris, including all Nagas, Kukis and other tribes.

My only worry is that our civil societies, intellectuals, newspapers and others are not able to disseminate it properly. Is there anybody to listen ! Let me end in a +ve note.