Politics played on the ethnic crisis : Stooping to gutter level
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: July 01, 2023 -

The politics that is being played out is amazing and it would have surely left a bitter taste in the mouth of any discerning observer.

Comes close to a case of the one eyed donkey leading a herd of blind asses, blind asses who have no compunction of imposing their own version of localised curfew in their own courtyard and extremely inconveniencing the odd few who may be out to earn a living just so that their offsprings do not join the herd of asses whose only claim to fame will be demonstrating their prowess in putting up roadblocks and dissuading all not to pass through and take a detour.

This is the drama that is being enacted on the streets and roads of Manipur ever since the place went up in flames in the evening of May 3.

A tragedy being scripted on the soil of Manipur and no one seems to give a thought to the fact that the main lifeline of the place and her people has been cut off for nearly 60 days now.

That this has not perturbed Delhi one bit can be easily explained by the deafening silence maintained by the Prime Minister till date and it stands that the visit and the assurance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has refused to have any impact on the people.

The result is there for all to see.

Indifference at a time when Manipur is undergoing a crisis, a crisis that has already claimed over 130 lives, rendered thousands homeless, destroyed innumerable houses and is on the radar of the international world and juxtapose this reality against the petty politics that is being played out on the soil of the place and one certainly can get an idea of where Manipur features in the consciousness of Delhi.

And it is on the premise of this indifference that Manipur can see petty politics being played out on her soil, a politics that has nothing to deal with the present crisis.

Does not need a genius of a political mind to fathom why AICC leader Rahul Gandhi thought it would be better to go by road all the way from Imphal to Moirang and maybe even Churachandpur to meet inmates of the relief camps.

At the same time it also does not need political acumen to understand why the BJP had to react in the way it did to the visit of the AICC leader.

This is nothing but playing politics with the misfortune and misery of the people rendered homeless by the crisis and it cannot get more farcical than this. But it is tragic.

Time people understand the politics that has gone in to make the crisis more complex.

Common sense says that the only way forward is to sit down and talk.

This is what all those acquainted with conflict management would vouch, but when either party continue to stick to such demand as ‘solution before peace’ then one can see the dirty hands of politics playing with the lives of the people.

And it is the well groomed, suited, booted directors of such politics who have everything to gain by making things murkier and more complex.

Go and ask those who are spending their days at the relief camps, who are trying to earn something making candles and other bits and pieces and all would have a common answer and that is their longing to go back to the place they once called home.

The longer the relief camps open and cater to the needs of the inmates, the more beneficial it would be for the directors, who are pulling the strings and deciding which direction the human tragedy should take.

For too long the people have remained blind asses, allowing themselves to be led by the one eyed donkeys and the deaths and senseless violence should now make them see the reality that is staring them in the face.

The reality that in the ongoing clash, there can be no winner. The loser will be everyone.

For nearly 60 days Manipur has remained paralysed and now is the time for all to start opening their eyes and try to see beyond the obvious.

Don’t be dumb asses to be led by one eyed donkeys is the advice to everyone.