From CSOs to electoral politics : Taking public for a ride?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: October 23, 2021 -

One wonders how the public would have taken it and central to this poser are some prominent civil society organisations whose writ run large.

It defies logic but some set of people who shot into the consciousness of the public raising their voice ostensibly on behalf of the people vis-a-vis the Government at Imphal and New Delhi should today be lining up for the saffron party's ticket ahead of the next Assembly election scheduled for the early part of 2022.

And when one talks about such personalities, then one is instantly reminded of former president of the United Naga Council Gaidon Kamei, former president of the United Committee Manipur Elangbam Johnson and former president of Tangkhul Naga Long Hopingson Shimray.

One cannot help but wonder how people would have taken their decision to join a party whose slogan is 'Nation first' and by this one obviously means India.

Hard to say whether the idea or slogan of the UNC or UCM or TNL comes anywhere close to the understanding of 'India or Bharat first' but the manner in which these three personalities have latched onto the bandwagon of the BJP is something extraordinary and hence this comment centering around them.

Obviously the BJP is the party to watch out for, more so, since the 2022 Assembly election is approaching with each passing day with some Assembly Constituencies already caught up in hectic campaigning all over.

It is also interesting to note that two of the three mentioned personalities had always questioned the existence of Manipur as a geo-political entity with the UNC famous for dubbing the Government at Imphal as the 'so called Government of Manipur'.

Ironic it is, but the very fact that these two personalities have joined the party which is heading the 'so called Government of Manipur,' should underline the fact that they are more than ready to join the 'so called Government of Manipur'.

The fact that many youngsters could have been misled would not have registered in the minds of these 'leaders'.

Same is the case with the former president of the UCM, which is a prominent pressure group, known to raise its voice against the policies of New Delhi and Imphal on more than one occasion.

The basic point is, the people have been taken for a ride for too long.

Now that they have come to the election ring, perhaps this is the time to tell such personalities where the they should stand.

Gain public recognition by occupying eminent position in organisations such as the UNC, UCM and TNL and then join a mainstream political party all with an aim to find a seat in the 60 member Assembly and nothing can get as farcical as this.

This is a near perfect example of how the people have been taken for granted for so long. And when one talks about these organisations, everyone knows who is who. Just who are they that they are trying fool is the question that arises.

Election should be free and fair and as citizens of India, they are free to contest the coming Assembly election, but it would help so much if they spell out in clear cut terms where they stand as far as the 'so called Government of Manipur' is concerned.

The lure of power and the accompanying pelf that comes along with power is perhaps too much to resist to these folks and this is what is hard to digest.