Same story, year after year : Significant statements
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 28, 2013 -

Four blasts, none hurt. The blasts, coming as it did on the eve of Republic Day, were not something entirely unexpected.

What was perhaps unexpected and came like a whiff of fresh breathe was the 'none hurt' part, especially in the backdrop of the casualties suffered in similar cases of bomb attacks earlier.

The part that falls somewhere in between the realm of the expected and the unexpected was the blast at the 1st MR Complex.

Unexpected because the 1st MR Complex is a high security zone, where civilians do not have easy access to and expected because militant groups would have put in their best resources at hand to make a significant statement.

Ingenuity on the part of the armed outfits or a damning statement on the security arrangement put in place ?

Whatever the case, the armed outfits surely managed to deliver a telling point and that is they can strike at their targets, high security zone or not. On the other hand the blast at the 1st MR Complex may be seen as an extension of the explosives laden car that managed to make its way inside the Raj Bhavan some years back, the bomb fitted scooter that exploded in all its might and fury inside the high security zone Babupara a couple of years back as well as the bomb blast in front of the Commando complex which claimed a number of lives some years back.

The missing link in the security arrangement is palpably clear and it is significant that Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has not ruled out the possibility of police personnel being involved in the bomb blast at the 1st MR Complex. A damning statement from none other than the man holding the Home portfolio.

Yet another Republic Day has come and gone.

Yet another day of general strike and boycott call with majority of the people preferring to stay within the safe confines of their own homes.

Year after year it has been the same story. Yet Delhi and Imphal have not moved beyond the 'invitation to come to the negotiating table' stand while at the same time seeking to resolve the issue militarily.

The continued imposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act should underline the militaristic approach adopted by the Centre.

Time for realisation to dawn that sticking to the same script of 'dialogue' while resorting to a militaristic approach to resolve the issue has failed to break the deadlock.

An out of the box approach is what the situation calls for.

Unfortunate it is that the Government failed to capitalise on the vibes generated by the 'dissatisfied brethren' address delivered by the then Governor of Manipur, Dr SS Sidhu some years back.

Initiating a political dialogue necessitates a political approach to the issues besieging Manipur and the North East. Extending the invitation for a political dialogue from the podium during public functions and meetings is passe'.

It has not worked and there is no reason to believe that it will work in the near future. This much should have been clear to the people helming the affairs at Delhi.

Perhaps the first step should be for Delhi to appoint officials who are well versed with the issues of the region and Manipur, to look after the affairs of the North East.

Feeding only what the political masters at Delhi would like to hear is obviously not going to work. Misleading them too would not work. This should be clear to one and all.