Defiling the sanctity of a place of learning : Ugly face of the men in uniform
- Sangai Express Editorial :: February 13, 2014 -

Students as students go in Manipur are not exactly angels.

Security forces as security forces go in Manipur are at most times rogues of the lowest kind.

Journalists as journalists go in Manipur are out late in the night either on duty or going back home after the day’s work.

And educational institutions as educational institutions go in Manipur are at most times in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Two incidents, occurring within a span of 24 hours or so of each other should underline the point that is sought to be made here.

Students protesting frequent power cuts and lack of water supply at their hostel is acceptable and this was exactly what the hostellers of Hostel 1, 2 and 3 of Manipur University did when they came out from their rooms and staged a protest inside the campus of the University on February 11.

Security forces trying to control the situation is okay, but cocking the gun and threatening to open fire is totally unacceptable and amounts to not only threatening the lives of the students, but defiling the sanctum sanctorum of a place of learning.

Not a word has come from the authority of Manipur University and this says something very disturbing about the highest seat of learning in the State.

After Manipur University was upgraded or turned into a Central University, we are given to understand that a whole lot of development work has started with new buildings and new equipments being installed.

However our understanding of a place of learning such as a university is not only about concrete buildings, but about the overall climate, creating an academic atmosphere where issues besieging the world, the country and the State are debated and deliberated.

What however has become increasingly clear is the point that instead of living up to the understanding of a place of learning, the attention of MU authority seems to be more focused on coming up with new structures at the expense of academics.

It does not need rocket science technology to understand why this is so and one need not elaborate on this for obvious reasons.

The ugly face of the security forces again manifested itself in all its glory, when a team of IRB men assaulted a journalist at about 11.30 pm on February 10 near Minuthong while he was on his way back home.

We have not yet heard the version of the IRB men, but from what the reporter had to say, it is understood that he failed to immediately stop when signalled with a torch light beamed on his face and stopped a little distance away.

There is nothing unusual about this as it is not always possible to immediately halt a moving vehicle and especially when the men in uniform flash their powerful torch light right on one’s face.

Apart from the disgusting act of physically assaulting the journalist, the IRB team leader had the audacity to take the name of a Cabinet Minister, claiming that no one can harm him as he is close to the Cabinet Minister.

This is totally unacceptable by any yardstick. On the other hand it is heartening to learn that the Cabinet Minister plans to sue the said IRB for dragging in his name in the incident.

In using the name of a Cabinet Minister, the IRB personnel demeaned the office of an elected member of the Assembly and the very point that he used the name of the Cabinet Minister says a lot about the rot in the system.

Should not this count as a breach of privilege of the House ?

Two incidents which had nothing to do with each other, but in the two incidents lie the tale of the mess that Manipur finds itself in and this is a shame.