Of shares and cuts by UG groups : Bringing it out in the public domain
- Sangai Express Editorial :: August 23, 2013 -

Percentage cuts. Shares. Taxes.

Terms that cut both ways, vis-a-vis the political leaders, the white collared officers and the underground outfits. Caught in the middle are the common people, the Tomba, Hongba and Chaoba.

In seeking a clarification from different armed outfits on whether they take their 'share' or impose 'taxes' on the rice for the mid-day meal scheme meant for young students, the Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur or DESAM in short, has addressed a question, which was hitherto only whispered behind closed doors and discussed only between trusted friends and never, ever with strangers.

A bold question, which should be acknowledged and noted by all concerned without malice.

That the underground groups do impose their own form of taxes on the people is a truism and this is perhaps the first time that a student organisation has had the conviction to directly raise a question in the public domain.

This is a refreshing change from the trend where the finger of accusations has always been pointed towards the political class and the babudom.

True, it is the political entrepreneurs, their chamchas and the white collared officers who are responsible for institutionalising corruption, but it can also be said with a certain degree of conviction that the armed groups too are not free from the guilt of dipping their fingers in the funds meant for the welfare of the people.

It stands true that for any group to wage an armed movement against the establishment, funds are needed.

But recent trend suggests that the funds raised for carrying on the insurrection have not always been utilised for the purpose in which they were collected in the first place.

A look at some of the emerging class of the noveau riche', the palatial buildings of close relatives of underground leaders, the fly by night operators who become crorepatis overnight give credence to the issue brought forth by DESAM.

Muddying the water further is the presence of groups which have armed themselves with truce pacts with the Government, giving them some sort of a license to move around freely and impose their own code of 'taxes'.

It remains to be seen if any of the armed groups will respond to the question raised by DESAM, but already an important point has been delivered. Such a poser from a student organisation would not have come by plucking some ideas from thin air.

At the moment, it is the mid-day scheme. There could be others too, such as shares and cuts from development projects, which are otherwise meant for the poorest of the poor.

Percentage cuts, shares, taxes from either side of the law is a reality that the people of Manipur have had to cope with all these years and as noted above, while the cuts and shares engineered by the Government and its agencies have come out in the public domain since a long time back, it is rare for the cuts and shares imposed by the armed outfits to come out in the public platform.

The reason for such a trend or culture needs no elaboration, for fear is a powerful and potent weapon, a sure shot strategy to silence the people.

Placing bombs at select sites of individuals, abducting for ransom, serving 'donation' cards with the amount already decided earlier are all manifestations of the cuts and shares which the student organisation has brought out in the open. The shares and cuts referred here can also extend to other spheres.

That the days of the professional contractors and suppliers are over should tell many a story, a story which can be seen in the sub-standard works which are being executed all over the State, from the newly black topped roads breaking down in no time, to the culverts which can be swept away by the swirling water of just a khongban, to the school buildings which are constructed without proper foundations.

The list can go on.

A student organisation, DESAM in this case, has raised a pertinent point and it is only right that the people concerned study the merits of issue raised.