'Minutely study' nonsense: Politics of Sadar Hills
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 05 2011 -

Economic Blockade imposed by the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee :: August 3 2011

What is the politics behind the issue of upgrading Sadar Hills to the status of a full fledged revenue district ?

A clear cut answer to this question is needed and fast for playing dumb has already extracted a heavy toll on human lives as well as sown the seeds of suspicion and distrust among different communities.

It is unfortunate, but true nonetheless that everything in Manipur today has come to be viewed through the prism of ethnic divide or communal affiliations and what should strictly be a matter of Government policy has now come to be interpreted as one community standing steadfast against the interest of another community.

This is nonsense and more so when someone totally innocent is nailed to the cross. Notwithstanding this ugly reality this still does not justify the stoic silence, bordering on indifference, maintained by successive State Governments since Statehood way back in 1972.

After three women were knocked down to death by an oil tanker while trying to negotiate its way through the missiles and stones rained by the blockade supporters, after numerous vehicles were burnt to cinders on NH-39, offices reduced to ashes, Chief Minister O Ibobi met representatives of Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee and ended it with the declaration that the Cabinet would meet to discuss the issue.

This was on August 4 afternoon. True to the Chief Minister's word, the Cabinet did meet on August 5 and the most important decision that was taken was to minutely study the demand raised by SHDDC. From this very decision certain points may be deduced. One, this means that the Government has not been minutely studying the case of Sadar Hills earlier.

In a way this may be taken to mean that this issue has just been paid lip service since 1972. Two, the SPF Government has decided to play the wait and see game again, never mind the fact that Sadar Hills is not an issue which cropped up from out of the blue and as long back as 1971, a recommendation was submitted to the Centre to create six hill districts in Manipur and among the six hill districts, Sadar Hills was one of them.

The other five were Chandel, Churachandpur, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul. This is the information that has been furnished by the Kuki Movement for Human Rights in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister. In probably one of the greatest betrayals and the biggest demonstration of a weak kneed Government without a trace of fire in its belly, the then United Front Government reneged on its assurance to upgrade Sadar Hills to a full fledged district along with Imphal East on June 18, 1997.

Fourteen years down the line and the Congress led SPF Government is still squeaking in the same tone. National Highway-39 has since then been a mute spectator to the numerous bandhs and blockades imposed by the SHDDC to present their case to the Government extracting a heavy toll on human lives and properties, not to speak of the loss to the State exchequer. It is now no longer a question of when but why the State Government has always fought shy of addressing the issue in the face.

While the conduct of the Government has been pathetic and does not inspire confidence at all, what is a major source of worry is the manner in which the Sadar Hills issue has been painted with the ethnic and communal brush and in the process innocents are pilloried. This is not only unhealthy but also extremely mischievous.

It is both amusing as well as disheartening to see certain elements interpreting the failure of the Government to address the issue as the machination of a community and the amusing part lies in the fact that the very accusation levelled against a community betrays the warped approach of some with powerful vocal power but nothing to show by way of the grey matter.

In other words, the accusations are indicative of the prevailing mindsets amongst certain groups of people that Sadar Hills is for a particular community. This is the disheartening part and which has the potential to derail the real issue.

And so it stands that while some elements have been whipping up the ethnic and communal sentiments made worse by a Government which just cannot make up its mind, hundreds of hapless passengers are stranded along NH-39 unable to move ahead. It is a human tragedy that is awaiting to explode at Senapati district headquarters, if reports received here are anything to go by.

Stranded with no food and accommodation, not to talk about toilet facilities and surely the people caught by the blockade must be tottering at the edge. With the sky refusing to clear and if it clears with the temperature soaring, a hugely avoidable crisis of a sort is very much in the pipeline.

The helping hand extended by the civil society organisations of Senapati along with the district administration to the stranded passengers is note worthy and amid the palpable gloom and despair is it gestures like this which renew our hope in the values of humanity.

The suggestion to call off the blockade has obviously cut no ice and in such a circumstance we hope that good sense prevails and at least a free passage is granted to the stranded passengers.

A demand, an agitation, how justified it is, should have a humane face and the smoke from the smouldering vehicles and the dust kicked up by the road blocks should not cloud the judgement of the leaders of SHDDC. Go ahead with pressurising the Government but this pressure should not suffocate the people.

As for the Government, the less said the better. "Minutely study."

In their arrogance and ignorance the think of the SPF Government probably came under the impression that this term is fancy enough to catch the imagination of the people. A pity.