Playing with public sentiment
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 02, 2013 -

There may be no two opinions on the good works that he had done during his short stint of three months as the top police officer of the State, and it is on this count that many people including those in the intellectual circles have vouched for extension of his service period.

But on the day of his retirement as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Manipur, Mrinal Kanti Das aka MK Das did what most retired Government officials have done before him to well - playing with the sentiment of the people of Manipur on the contentious issue of Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

By no means, he would be so naive not to have seen and listened to the cries of the suffering people who have been demanding repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, in short AFSPA, from Manipur all these years.

After all, Manipur is the State, whom he calls his 'second home'.

According to his own accounts, the retired DGP came to Manipur for the first time in 1964 as an NCC cadet and later as an IPS officer of the Manipur-Tripura cadre in 1977.

It is also the place where his mother took her last breath, her mortal remains laid to rest and all the last rites as well as the rituals due to a departed soul performed every year.

But why has he not spoken anything about the suffering of the people from prolonged imposition of the Army Act descried by many as draconian until the day of his retirement?

Ironically, that too, a day after the State Cabinet took a decision on extension of Disturbed Area Status in Manipur excluding the Imphal Municipal area, for yet another one year!!

Before him, the then Director General of Assam Rifles K.S. Yadava, who, while he was in active service could never bend down on the issue of removal of the protective shield given to personnel of armed forces under the Army Act, mellowed down on the eve of his retirement, stating that the idea of the Army keen to continue the Act has no basis and the onus lies with the State Government.

"If the authorities in power feel it (AFSPA) should not be there, we are ready to function without it. We will function in accordance to the laid down rules," he was quoted to have said.

More than KS Yadava, it is former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai, who knows how to play to the gallery perfectly on the issue of AFSPA and sprinkled salt in the wounded sentiments of the people.

After retirement from service, Pillai has been repeatedly roaring at the top of his voice at every possible public forum that "AFSPA repeal is overdue" and the Government of India must make amends to the people of Manipur for "past mistakes".

He has even gone a step ahead of others when he had the temerity of advising Irom Chanu Sharmila (who is into her 14th year of fast unto death stir demanding repeal of AFSPA) to "reach out to people across the country" like anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to make her cause known.

These are the same people who could have made a difference in the life of the people if they were daring enough to speak up against AFSPA while in the service of the Government.

But they did not and choose to play with the sentiments of the people after retirement. So sad, and so unfortunate.