Politics during pandemic: All is not well
- Imphal Times Editorial :: August 23 2020 -

All is not well when it comes to politics and pandemic in the state of Manipur.

But only those who have a third eye or sixth sense will agree with this.

There is still an unsettled dispute among those running the state and the COVID-19 pandemic has intruded to his hilly state beyond the control of the administration.

Even though almost all people seem to be aware of the deadly virus, that is killing not only human but also all activities of human, people are making way for the virus to intrude our society, as there is no proper planning under some strong leadership.

In wartime, the troop with one strong general always win other troops which have equally strong 100 generals with no respect of each other.

When each of the members behaves as general without following orders of the superior, there is no way that a war is won.

The same is with the state of Manipur. Things that we have been noticing in the last couple of years and particularly during this COVID-19 pandemic clearly indicates lack of a strong commander.

It would have been okay had it not been in war times, but fighting among the armies of a troop for the post of the commander during wartime will only give opportunity to the enemy.

And our state is giving opportunity to the enemy which is even stronger than the then mighty British empire that once invaded our erstwhile kingdom in 1891.

The rise of the CIVID-19 affected people in the state of Manipur even among the people who have no record of travel history is indeed worrisome for the state.

The record from the Health Department showed that the administration now is unable to contain the spread of the virus as everyday number of people with no travel history are on the rise.

The situation now urgently required strict measures from those running the government which is yet to be noticed by the people.

The imposition of lockdown and curfew and announcing of the locality which has COVID-19 affected people only creates chaos and panic among the people instead of helping in flattening the curb.

This is not an assumption but, a fact that people notice every day from government records.

Announcement of containment zone as a measure by the respective district administration of the state has rather turn out as a measure to rise fear psychosis among the people by even putting the localities in high risk as they have to come out without proper protective gears to prevent themselves from the virus as the district administration after the announcement of containment zone were left on their own with no government agencies (law enforcers) assigning to look into their matter.

Manipur today is in state of emergency due to the invasion of the virus and those in the government who should unite and prepare to face the challenge are now busy in political war among themselves.

At a time when the differences of ideology among political parties should be sideline and at a time when all the representatives of the people should roll on their heads together to fight the pandemic for protection of the people, what the state witness today is fighting for powers among the representatives of the people that belong to the same political party who is running the government, leave aside the opposition party which had started a political war at an inappropriate moment.

Manipur today is in a state of crisis. And the situation that has been going on in the political theatre is also not going to bring any good for the society as well as to the political party that is rulling the state.

What is more worrisome is the awaiting by-election for the 14 assembly constitution.

Each and every people in the state know the scenario of Election time. It is number game and there will be no dearth for small or big gathering election campaign no matter the Election Commission of India has announced certain protocol.

There is no guarantee that the law enforcer will be able to control the gathering of people during election time despite having various protocols.

Today it is only the people – the common people and the civil society organisations that will save Manipur.