The bottlenecks in the development of Manipur

M Ajrun Kabir *

Inspite of revolutionary steps of Green Revolution to boost agricultural and horticultural production and White Revolution to boost veterinary production (meat, milk and eggs) undertaken since some decades ago, truckloads of these products are still importing from outside the state everyday.

The main reasons for the failure of these two giant steps are the unwillingness of the people of Manipur to work hard, blind neglect of manual works, lack of dignity of labour and lack of incentives and guidance in this regard, inefficient and insufficient water management, non-adoption of advanced methods of farming and modern technology etc, and the unjustified poor condition of road connectivity in the state. The insincerity of most of the unscrupulous government machineries and other stakeholders is also well known. These chronic defects make Manipur still living like a beggar.

From some decades ago, most of the people of Manipur were blindly rushing for white-collar jobs irrespective of their ability and talents while the vital need of the state was the hard manual labour to make these revolutionary steps success. The then rulers (both elected and executive) pushed the thrush towards bumper appointments of white-colour government jobs instead of pushing towards bumper production by implementing field works successfully.

The ultimate result was the overstaff of all the government departments and eventual downsizing of government employees recently done and importing of truckloads of essential commodities like rice, potato, onions, garlics, edible oils, dais, eggs, fish etc, everyday from outside the state and blind neglect and virtual abandonment of manual works led the influx of manual workers from outside Manipur. In fact one wrong step in the past makes us suffer much today. One wrong step today, will make much suffering in future. Will not we rectify our mistakes today.

People of Manipur are not lazy or dull by nature. They are active, agile, dynamic, intelligent and perseverance. By dint of these qualities, our youths come to the forefront in the field of sports in the national arena even with international fame. The success of Thailand in agriculture, industry and economy will be an eye-opener for the people of Manipur, because there area great similarities between them. The two people are of Mongoloid origin and there are great similarities between them in physical stature and mental and cultural set up.

Now Thailand is known as the “Jumping Tiger of South-East Asia” in commemoration of their success in agriculture, industry and economy. But Manipur is now galloping in the dark. Our failure in all of these three fronts is clearly evident by the fact that we are importing several hundred truckloads of agricultural and” industrial products everyday only for consuming the state and we are living solely with the money from the central government. To cope with the problem, we vitally need a good governance which can take right decision at the right time, can utilise optimum potentiality positively and free from corruption of all kind.

The need of the hour, for the people of Manipur, is the encouragement and guidance in the right direction. The role of our leaders, bureaucrats, intelligentsia and NGOs at this juncture is very great. The peculiar social and law and order situation worsen by bandhs, blockades, general strikes drastically hamper the process of development. In such scenario, we can’t survive simply with complacency of our past glory. The political leaders bureaucrats, writers, social activists, general public-young and old need to contemplate the exact reality of Manipur today. A positive change of thinking and outlook is vitally needed.

In the present context of Manipur, socio-political aspects are more gloomy than ever. In the name of their own ethnic interests, most people seem to be pursuing for their own interest – political, social and economic. Most of the Nagas, Kukis, Muslims or Mizos openly or secretly blame the Meiteis as chauvinistic and communal. In true sense, there are some chauvinistic and communal Meiteis, but not the whole Meiteis, only a few Meetei.

But as ours’ is multi-ethnic, multi-racial society, there are chauvinistic and communal elements among Nagas, Kukis, Muslims or Mizos as well where they are in majority. Due to the senseless and uncontrolled actions of such small chauvinistic and communal elements in these five ethnic groups, intercommunity gaps have been widened and peaceful co-existence among the ethnic groups is disturbed.

The real problem is that, these small chauvinistic and communal elements in each of these five ethnic groups are trying to sway the whole of their ethnic groups forcibly or by inventing imaginary malicious charges against their opponent ethnic groups, thereby creating a chronic distrust and intercommunity rivalries and aggravating Hill-Valley people antagonism.

In the Naga society also, they are not a purely homogeneous society. They are of different faiths and languages. There are still Tangkhul chauvinism, Zaliangrong chauvinism, Sema chauvinism, Konyak chauvinism and so on where they themselves are in majority.

Such kind of chauvinism and regionalism will become more distinct if they happen to be under the same administrative umbrella. Example is – breaking up of Pakistan into Bangladesh and Pakistan, even though they are of the same religion – Islam. In case of Kukis also, the problem is the same. Among the Muslims also, the interest of Meitei Pangals whose mother tongue is Manipuri (Meiteilon) and those of Muslims living in Manipur whose mother tongue is Bengali or Assamese or Hindi etc is different. Considering all these, racial chauvinism and regionalism are the real curse of modern polity.

This fatal venom of racial chauvinism and regionalism may sting the whole state if not checked in time thereby entailing a suicidal stage of all these ethnic groups. The loss of such situation would be irreparable for all. Hill and Valley people are the organic parts of a living body.

All the ethnic groups – Nagas, Kukis, Muslims and Mizos used to blame Meiteis of suppressing or contemptuous of them in the name of untouchability at the advent of Hinduism in Manipur. But the fact is that the brunt of untouchability was felt more severely among the Meiteis themselves as their faiths are diverse or heterogeneous.

The untouchability was not directly targeted to the Muslims or tribals only, because a number of sections or individuals of Meiteis were also excommunicated or sanctified with a lengthy procedure of punitive actions. It was an ugly turn of history which is not to be blamed among ourselves. And there is not even a slightest image of untouchability in the modern Manipuri society.

But today, Manipur is engulfed with highly volatile and intriguing problems fuelling distrust and inter-community rivalry between the hill and plain people worsening day by day.

At this juncture, suppression or lip-service will not serve the purpose. Every positive solution should come form the heart and for common good for all. We should have adopt that solution instead of waiting for natural cooling down of the turmoil. The role of the government is very great in this regard. A responsible government should hunt for positive solution of every problem of the state without losing time.

It is a high time for the people of Manipur to keep maximum restraint. For any kind of struggle for dominance or for any competition, it should be based purely on merit and not on any other else. Merit and value-based benefits will bring emotional integrity and recognition and will bring speedy advancement towards progress. Only this will strengthen the fabric of integrity and moral foundation of the state.

Division of Hill-Valley people should be minimized and their age-old organic link should be strengthen. Victimization of either side is not good. Most of the grievances of both sides are genuine. If the state would not be safeguarded constitutionally, the impending danger would be for both sides. For all problems, Manipur is facing today, there should be room for reconsideration, reconciliation and room for permanent solution. All concerned should work-out a consensus solution based on region and good for all.