Let's usher in an era of true change in Manipur

Khumballambam Jayanta *

Almost every year, a major issue or another arises in Manipur and this year too, we have before us the big issue of ILP . While I have mentioned the word ILP, I would like to emphasize that this article is not about ILP but about a change in the general attitude of our society on how it handles the issues associated with it. While no society is without issues , while protest and demonstrations are part of a democratic society, in Manipur they took an extreme form in most cases whose reason many would claim is due to the unwillingness of its leaders to adress them.

But whatever the reason, whenever these issue arises one thing happens for sure, the state is plunged into chaos and anarchy with the entire social, political and economic machinery comes to an abrupt stop. And it is the common people, the daily bread earners who are worst affected in such a situation. They are forced to bear the burnt of the repercussions associated with it in the form of police brutality, mob brutality, bandhs, blockades, just to name a few.

The frequency in which such mass upheavals or protests or demonstrations occur here in Manipur underlines the extreme discontent of the general public and its desire for a change towards something better than the pitiable state in which we are living today.Every Manipuri is waking up today from its long sleep and issuing calls for a better Manipur to its fellow Manipuris. And the thirst for a change is real this time.

In the light of this frequent protests and mass discontent and the new awakening one cannot help but question why despite of so many protests, so much discontent and the new awakening how come the state is remaining so stagnant with changes hardly coming at all. What is it that is preventing Manipur from undergoing a true change?

I am sure if the the above question is addressed to the public, we will be flooded with thousands of replies. Some of these replies undoubtedly would be that , the leaders are corrupt and motivated by selfish interest , the bureaucrats are corrupt and inefficient, the state security forces lacks moral, discipline and so on. So we are ready and justly so, in blaming only certain sections of the society for all our society's grievances.

But shouldn't we ask ourselves again who are these leaders, these bureacrats , these security forces ? Aren't they also part of our society ? Aren't they bred and brought by our society itself ? Are they and they only the cause of all our grievances ? If these leaders , bureacrats, security forces are replaced by an entirely new set of leaders, bureacrats, security forces from within our society , would then our state be finally free of the grievnaces that plagues us ?

I am personally not very optimistic about it. True many things may be wrong with them but it is also equally true that whatever is wrong with them is in some way manifestations of the rotten ideologies inherent in our society itself.

A true and lasting change can only be brought by confronting directly with whatever is wrong with our society rather than just pointing the blame towards certain sections of it. For example, the common man of our state is deeply disgusted and at the same time deeply affected by the rampant corruption prevalent in our society. It is the undeniable truth. But the truth doesn't end there. Because it is also equally true that save for a few, the common man will stand in long lines to bribe the bureaucrats and leaders for their favours, or become the most easy victims to the temptations of corruption.

In other words, most of us who are deeply disgusted and affected by corruption , would take part in it given the slightest chance to be a part of it in pursuit of our own interest. My theory may sound absurd and even untrue but a closer examination of our society undoubtedly says otherwise. And so , a victim of corruption today becomes the champion of corruption tomorrow. How can then we remove corruption if such is the nature of our society ?

The harsh and bitter reality is that we are not against the evil idea of corruption but just against those who have the power to be corrupt and consequently are corrupted. Thus we are not waging an all out ideological battle against corruption but complaining bitterly at how we have been excluded from it. Unless this attitude changes, corruption cannot be defeated.

Similar norms are visible in other situations with more or less similarity. To illustrate it again let me point out another example. How many youths enrolled in the state forces did so with the intention of serving their motherland ? I believe many of them joined the forces just to acquire a steady source of income. While there is nothing wrong with such intention, it becomes a trajedy for the state if such intention is the sole purpose for their joining the forces.

And again , amongst us who are protesting against the immorality, indiscipline of our security forces , how many of us would really become good and responsible policemen if we had been recruited instead of them. Again I am not very optimistic of the answer. Here, I want to clarify that by this argument, I have no intention of absolving or forgiving the crimes or atrocities committed by the security forces . They are indeed unacceptable but at the same time I want to direct the attention of my fellow citizens to the inherent faults that is present in our society too. Our society is maligned with evil ideology of "self-interest before common-interest" and the roots of this corrupted ideology has penetreted deep inside our very society. And this in some way has become the very source of our miseries.

We have indeed become a very hypocritical society where we see the faults of others and not of ourselves. Then again we justify our such hypocrisy by saying, if others are corrupt , why shouldn't I be so ? Why should I be the lone clean fish in this muddy sea ? If I do not pay bribe while my neighbour does, his or her kin would get jobs while mine won't. If I do not take bribes while my fellow officers takes them, they will live in grand bunglows while I won't.

In this complex chain of justifications and anti-justifications , many of us are forced to resign and say, all is according to nature. What nature is it ? It is the nature of our current society. And if we want to change this distorted, self-harming nature, each of us have to stand up against this misguided ideology which if unchecked will become the reason of our doom.

We the Manipuris each and every one of us from all communities and localities are brave enough to face lathis, rubber bullets and even bulets for the sake of our society for a change. And I salute each and every one of you with my most sincere heart. But it is high time we direct our bravery and courage against all these distorted ideals that lurks in our society. Its high time we start embracing love not hatred for our movement of a better Manipur, love for the Manipuris, love for the ideals of brotherhood amd siterhood, love for public-welfare, love for justness and goodness.

Let us give each and every Manipuri an equal and unbiased oppurtunity to join in our common struggle. And when others do not still join us, let us not hate them but continue in our noble journey embracing the new found love and goodness in the believe that all will one day, however late the day may be , join us finally. Some will question , will then all our woes be finally over ? To them I say may be not but only then can our woes be finally resolved .

So, intead of segregating our society into smaller sections of leaders, politicians, bureaucrats, bankers, shopkeepers, thikadars, security forces, and so on, so as to point out their malpractises and misdeeds, let us all unite under the common banner of "Manipuris", and fight the distorted ideal of "self-interest before public-interest", for these are our true enemies not the individuals who have fallen prey to them , for I believe there lies our salvation.

Or else the blame game will continue forever and each one of us will have to continue paying the steep prices for the faults and misgivings of each section of our society. Having defeated these false and misguided ideals, let us put our state more enthusiastically in the race of economic development that had begun long ago elsewhere.

In the end, I would like to appeal for your kind forgiveness if I had unintentionally offended any one of you in my generalisation of our society, particularly to those who are truly committed for our society's genuine welfare, and those who are strong enough to avoid the temptations of corruption. I have no intention of taking sides among various section of our society because I take side of all of you.

The ideas expressed above are not against any of you or your method which you adopt for the welfare of us but do consider them for what it really is, just another way of looking at the present situation of Manipur by a humble Manipuri who like you dreams and longs for a better and developed Manipur free of the present evils. And thank you for taking your much valued time in reading this rather long article.