Challenges Ahead - No time for hero worship
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 27, 2010 -

The trouble the Government and the people of Manipur are facing at present is far from over. Much more difficult times are yet to come. The signs are clear, and written on the wall. The situation that would arise in, probably, very near or not too far future could be hundred times worse than any we have experienced till now.

For the forces, which are adverse to the entity of Manipur, are consolidating, and relentless in their attacks on Manipur. But unfortunately the state Government, which must face the challenges head on looks unnecessarily burdened with internal bickering among the Cabinet Ministers.

This needs to be sorted before it becomes not only an embarassment to the government but also a weight that pulls it down into the abyss. For example, the question where the Minister of Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution, Y Irabot stands in the SPF government's fight against the adversaries, who are hell-bent on disintegrating Manipur, is something that must be made very clear.

It is already a too well-known fact that Minister Irabot, who many believe is somewhat eccentric by character, never sees eye to eye with Chief Minister O Ibobi and the rest of the Ministers on any given issue. The Minister does not try to hide nor disguise his dislike for anything the Chief Minister does. He openly criticises the Chief Minister and his actions including certain policies of the State Cabinet.

At times, Shri Irabot has levelled charges against Shri Ibobi and his relatives. It's also well known that the Minister goes to Delhi every now and then to complain to some AICC leaders against the SPF Ministry headed by Chief Minister Ibobi. In fact, Minister Irabot is undoubtedly one of the detractors of Chief Minister O Ibobi among the Congress legislators who want to see him removed from the post of Chief Minister.

Who knows Minister Irabot could be nurturing a secret ambition of taking over as the State's Chief Minister if the Congress High Command is not averse to it. The problem is that as of now, it doesn't look like he commands good enough number, not to say of the sufficient number of Congress legislators as his supporters. At the movement, the Minister is certainly alone, and looks like kind of an outcast among his party legislators.

However, despite people's opinions that he is different or eccentric or heroic or whatever, Minister Irabot is very much a politician like any other or even more. He never wants to miss an opportunity to capitalise on, and to do that he needs the media. He has been seen making the best use of media at the silightest opportunity and very often too. No doubt he knows a mantra or two to obtain media's favour. There is nothing wrong with the ambitions of Minister Irabot.

All politicians and legislators are entitled to nurturing ambitions for higher positions. Shri Irabot might or might not succeed in ousting Shri Ibobi from his post of Chief Minister. But our concern is that it is just not the time for any Minister to take political advantage out of the prevailing situation.

It is the time for all Ministers, MLAs and workers of either ruling or opposition parties to bury the hatchet and join hands as one and unitedly fight the challenges. NSCN-IM leader Th Muivah is still camping at Viswema in Nagaland near the Mao border with the intention of visiting Manipur ahead.

The Centre has only asked him to defer his visit till the elections of Autonomous District Councils in the hill districtis of Manipur are over. Once the elections are over on June 2, Muivah is likely to make fresh attempt to enter Manipur's territory. What could happen thereof is just beyond one's imagination for now.

The consequences could be much more fatal than what it was on May 6 at the Mao gate or even June 18 nine years back. Therefore it's not the time to allow any internal disagreements of the SPF Ministry to surface that might veer the burning issue off the attention that it deserves.

Moveover, it's not the time for the people to hero-whorship any political leader nor the time for any leader to make a political mileage out of the tense situation.