The primal role of the State is to provide a vibrant administrative set up and strive for balanced development and perspectives. In a State like Manipur laden with diverse culture and aspirations this role assumed more significance.
Our state of affairs today is but our “own creation.” Can the people of Manipur further afford to lay our destiny in the hands of irresponsible and callous leaders? How much is enough?
Of late the State administration is caught in the doldrums on the delimitation imbroglio.
And ironically few could fathom the depth of the issues involved and their implications. And the manner in which the State Assembly tried to mislead the peace loving people is but amazingly novice. So the Cabinet Committee on their own wisdom began their itinerary on-board the Indian Airlines to Delhi, the capital city of all wisdom.
The sense of urgency shown by the Cabinet Committee is praiseworthy but we wish they had taken enough care and not left behind the keys to their own wisdom. All said and done, the stock exchanges had already downed their shutters and the cabinet committee could find none to transact or trade with.
But all hopes were not lost yet for they could spot traders/brokers who were still interested in clinching a deal in the derivative markets. But there was a rider. These traders offered our esteemed leaders to take unconditional positions in the future market with only a buy option.
For the uninitiated, derivative instruments are based on the perceived value or future potential of an asset but are traded now. You can take a plunged in forward or future contract with either call or/and put options.
Derivative instruments, therefore, in social parlance offers potential opportunity for rebuilding fallen images and hopes. On the flipside, the converse holds true if these instruments are not understood properly and applied without a corrective mind-frame.
Does it make sense for our politician to hedge their political career now? The only alternative option for them is to explore the feasibility of currency swap (a political swap) which I don’t think is feasible in the near future.
The ball now solely rests with the peoples’ court (the people of Manipur). It will be foolhardy to draw our present state of affairs with the old adage that fools can but only beget more foolishness. Or, should we let destiny be destiny and to hell with ourselves. Let us gauge the appropriateness of my judgment now.
The inglorious “Act” in the annals of Manipuris’ history came from the bolt in the form of a unanimous resolution passed by the Assembly on 1st August, 2007.
The resolution resolves the August Assembly in the interest of the people of Manipur disowns the exercised of the Census Act and expressed its reservations on the intent and spirit of the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner of India.
I cannot but fail to notice the callous and indifferent attitude of our leaders in matters as important as the “delimitation of constituencies.” At stake is the destiny of more than 45 per cent of the population of the State who rightfully owns more than 85 per cent of Manipur’s geographical areas.
The delimitation process is rather more of a social concerned than political. It is about promoting an equilibrium representative system in terms of the dynamics of a given population, developmental needs and social justice which takes into account the geographical contour of a diversified culture under its preview.
It intends to cultivate a neutral social system which caters especially to vulnerable population of the society. It also provides a forum for introspection to mainstream politicians on policy matters and delivery of good governance.
And good governance being a passing reference here, it is not my intention to carry any further this debate.
The logical bottom-line of the delimitation process therefore lies in re-engineering of social and political structure within the framework of the dynamics of demographic changes. Unfortunately, this august assembly fails to appreciate the spirit of the delimitation exercises and failed to read the lines on the wall.
The people of Manipur are taken for a ride on the issue. In fact our political leaders to a certain extent have succeeded in transforming what purportedly was a social and democratic process into political issues.
This is lamentable and unfortunate. In other words, we have failed to understand the complexities involved in the derivative markets.
The question arises that “Are the people of Manipur well informed citizens?” Are we all nuts to be cracked at (whose) will? Let today be a redefining moment in the lives of “we the people of Manipur resolves and stand affirm on our right to be informed citizen…….”
The para phrase here is that the Government of Manipur had failed in disseminating correct information to the people. Nonetheless, the recent judgment of the Apex Court had reinforced our faith in our judicial system, atlast surely shall the pigeons be set free from the clutter of the cats.
The history of Manipur is a living testimony of peace, love and co-existence, aka hingminnase eikhoi.
The integrity and loyalty of the tribals’ to the cause of the State has stood the test of time. But the uncertainty that vitiated the political atmosphere of the State during the days preceding the Inglorious Act is a valid point to ponder with. The crusaders of status quo may glance through an extract from the Delimitation Act, 2002:
“Under section 9(1) (d) of the Delimitation Act 2002 Seats for the STs are to be reserved in the constituencies in which the percentage of their population to the total population is the largest. Therefore, after all the assembly constituencies in the State have been delimited, the constituencies to be reserved for STs will be those where the percentage of the ST population to the population of the constituencies is the largest, in descending order equal to the number of the constituencies to be reserved for STs. “
The call of the day is why our political fiefdoms are still reluctant in calling a spade, a spade. Life is not just about creating a political space or gaining a political mileage. It is neither a process of political permutation and combination.
Life is about understanding the essence of good living. And good living can be sustained only through social synergies wherein the principle of symbiosis is a norm rather than preached.
It is in this reference that I proposed to show-cause the deliberations of the Apex Court on the Issues on Delimitation Act, 2002.
The affidavit of the Union Government of India acknowledge the fact that the Guwahati High Court has erred in allowing the Writ Petition of All Political Party Manipur under Article 226 of the Constitution of India without appreciating the fact that the evidence in the present case is in question which cannot be verified at this stage by any means by the Court intervention...” What prompted the Guwahati High Court to entertain the case can be best answered by the All Political Parties of Manipur under the aegis of Shri O.Ibobi Singh and his Cabinet Ministers (including the tribals’ cabinet members).
The Union Government and others in their counter affidavit filed before the Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 5766/2007 in the Supreme Court have admitted that there is no enabling provision for re-census even under Section 17A framed under Census Rules 1990.
Moreover, it is also not possible to conduct a census retrospectively with a reference date of 1st March, 2001.It further contended that the field situation that existed as on 1st March, 2001 cannot be re-created now, after six years, due to the dynamic nature of population which undergoes a change due to births, deaths and migration.
Therefore, counting of the heads that existed on 1st March, 2001 as ordered by the Hon’ble Guwahati High Court in respect of the 9 hills is also practically not feasible if not unconstitutional.
So, what is written on the wall is clear and loud for all to see. The pertinent issue here is “Has the delimitation process becomes a destabilizing factor for the people of Manipur?” My answer is a big NO.
In fact it is a path well taken and a job well done. And we also salute the men who staged a walk-out during the inglorious Resolutions. The long cherished social fabric that binds the inhabitants of Manipur should be further strengthened.
Let the wild hogs fine tune their vision. It is the enemy within which poses more threat to destabilise the socio-economic and cultural fabrics of the State.
The August Assembly of Manipur, you are with me!
* H. Benjamin Mate wrote this article for The Sangai Express .
This article was webcasted on 18th Oct 2007.
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