Buying the silence of the public through coercion : Politics of explaining, justifying
- Sangai Express Editorial :: April 24, 2013 -
The politics of 'claim', explanation and then justifying, albeit with a hint of 'regret'.
There is a pattern in this and so successful has this seeped into the consciousness of the people that when there is any outrageous act that benumbs the senses of the people, the demand of the people has always been, reveal the identity of the group responsible for the act, ask the reason why such an act was perpetrated and of course petition the Government to do the needful and punish the wrong doers according to the law of the land.
This is where the irony emerges.
All claims or explanations have come to mean telling the people to shut their gawp and to the the public demanding justice according to the law of the land, it means taking the law into their hands.
This is manifested in the numerous cases when the public beat a hasty retreat as soon as any group come out with an open statement owning responsibility, explaining the circumstances which led to the act and of course justifying it.
The question of whether the public really believe the explanation or the 'justification' is not an issue worth pondering for these groups.
Punishment of the guilty according to the law of the land is another farcical cry raised by the public. The mob mentality that so easily sweeps the public off their feet should be enough indication of this.
The smouldering embers of the houses belonging to the three accused in the murder of Satyabhama is a disturbing reminder.
So too the house of another man, set ablaze on the ground that the goods of one of the accused were stashed away there. Mayhem and anarchy then it is.
A case of a people brow beaten into quiet submission through years of co-ercion.
Little wonder then that the best piece of wisdom or advice that parents and elders in the family give to their children and youngsters is to keep their mouth shut, even in the face of the most blatant act of the 'powerful' riding rough shod over the rights of the people to live as dignified human beings.
Politics. Plato and Aristotle and other great thinkers have their own takes on what is 'politics'.
Call it the process of evolution or whatever, but here in Manipur it has its own unique flavour. From the politics of economic blockades, politics of total total bandh, politics of general strikes, politics of bandhs and bans, politics of highway blockades and economic blockades to politics of 'claims', politics of explanation and politics of justifying, all are unique to Manipur. Disturbingly so.
It may be wiser to remain silent if one does not want to make a fool of oneself by exposing one's ignorance, but it is far more dangerous when this silence is forced upon the people for fear of retaliation or 'unsavoury outcome'.
The recipe to perfect the art of scripting a 'conspiracy of silence' is ready. Interestingly at most times this silence too is selective.
Silent on some issues and vocal on some issues, never mind if the issues are more or less the same. It is this silence which has created a false ambience that as long as one has gun power and financial clout then silence can always be assured.
And for once, it would be in the fitness of things and for the best of Manipur, if it is acknowledged that the silence is maintained more when it involves the non-State actors.
Another example of the State miserably failing to instil a sense of security amongst the public.
A reality created by the culture that the security forces are there more for the protection of the breed of people who come under the tag of VIPs than the public.
Imagine a common man striking a tough pose in the public domain like the Chief Minister or a senior police officer.
This should about describe the unique politics here.
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