Majority Bogey
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 10, 2009 -

Everyone knows the Lim agenda of Mani Charenamei and while some, particularly political parties have lampooned him for justifying his support to the UPA Government during the trust vote on the floor of Parliament last year on the Lim ground, the media as a whole did not particularly go ballistic against him.

The Sangai Express does not agree with the idea of a Greater Lim at all and though we have made this clear on numerous occasions we have never deemed it fit to question Mr Mani's credentials as an individual.

However we think it is time and only right that we question him on his personal integrity especially after the 'hate speech' he delivered at Churachandpur on April 8 during his election campaign.

Politicians are known to be liars who will not stop at anything to fool the people, but when they start to incite one group of people against another group, then we have to pull the plug. The 'majority community' term which Mr Mani used in his speech was not only in extremely poor taste but also very dangerous.

Everyone knows that the majority community he was referring to was the Meiteis.

Championing one's political beliefs and commitments is one thing but in trying to defame another community in trying to woo the voters is criminal and this is exactly what Mr Mani did during his address to the gathering at Synod Hall in Churachandpur district headquarters.

No sensible man would hunt for votes along community lines but it seems that the sitting MP in the Outer Parliamentary Constituency is hell bent on brain washing the people along community lines.

It is comical that Mr Mani took pains to explain that he does not support the undergrounds. Why should a man contesting the election under the Constitution of India take the trouble to explain that he does not support any underground outfit ?

Why make such a political stand publicly, when one has accepted the rules and laws under which one has willingly stepped into the political arena ? Or is there something more that Mr Mani wants to prove ?

For the benefits of our readers and Mr Mani, we would like to explain that anyone who has taken up arms against the Government of India including those engaged in a peace process purportedly and as claimed outside the Constitution of India has no business to meddle in the election of the largest democracy of the world.

During the last five years in Parliament, Mr Mani has already demonstrated that his main concern is the unification of all Naga inhabited areas under one administrative unit.

This is his political beliefs and ideologies and we have no issue over this but trying to whip up communal passion by alleging that the majority community, read the Meiteis, have been subjugating the tribals amounts to playing a dangerous game.

The people of Manipur should be wary of such personalities, such people who will not hesitate to play the communal card to garner some votes. If Mr Mani is genuinely concerned about the people, then he should have talked extensively about Mautam and other developmental projects on the floor of Parliament.

What was he doing there in the past five years ?