Worms are Coming Out of Can

*

Recently inaugurated Capitol Complex - New Assembly Building :: Pix - TSE

Finally, the curtain to the political circus is down with the dignitaries of the Union of India, the Prime Minister and the chairperson of UPA inaugurating the concrete structure by unveiling the plates that are scribes with their names. It is not surprising that the government of Manipur spent crores of rupees to beautify the areas where the events were to take place. No wonder than 1 crore was spent on erecting temporary fence along the routes that was supposed to be taken by the VVIPs.

It is another issue whether the routes were actually used. The fact of the matter is that the visit of the Prime Minister is not a regular event so the worst has to needs to be hide and present a heavily make up part. Because keeping the town clean is not in the minds of the concerned people as they have other important works to address. Only god knows what the works are but the common mass has no information.

On the D day the much hyped buildings of the new Assembly, High Court, Inter State Bus Terminal, City Convention Centre, MDFC auditorium were inaugurated continuing the tradition of yanayanaba (adhocism),all the building are incomplete.

One classic example is the breakdown of MFDC fountain the moment the dignitaries arrived for inauguration. Whatever be the case the news is that the last session of the 9th Manipur assembly is going to be held in the new assembly building.

However, the said part is that is building is not yet fully complete. The point is what is the hurry for its inauguration? And the rush to have a session in that building. It is understandable had the government have no assembly building to have a session.

Unfortunately, in the present case Manipur has a functioning assembly building. Accepted that to have a longing for new and good things is not a bad habit. Yet, to do so only to please the self in a hurriedly fashion is not desirable that too by the elected representatives. In local terminology such human behaviour is refer to as karamchaouba.

The behaviour of karamchouba is antithetical to the benevolent and contained behaviour that is generally expected from the people’s representatives. Wearing white kurta and payjamado not make a leader having higher values. In short, wearing white kurta and payjama is a make up to conceal the self-serving behaviour.

This self-serving behaviour blatantly comes out in the open when, being a host, the elected leaders forgot the curtsy to request the guest to have a seat when the Prime Ministers and Chairperson of UPA were addressing to the people of Manipur. Instead of looking after the needs of the guest, that includes union cabinet ministers, who were made to stand, the honourable leaders of Manipur enjoy the event with their false pride, a product of a mind corrupted by power.

Manipur society, however, is known for its humility and hospitality and the people also take pride in these behaviour. Unfortunately, the behaviour of karamchouba of the elected members and silence of the society to such a behaviour forces to ponder over the question whether Manipur society at large has also inculcated this behaviour of karamchouba?

Further, lack of vision in the formulation of policy and programmes by the government is manifested in the recent spree of inauguration activity. Take the case of Inter State Bus Terminal, the instant question that arises is what the use of this bus terminal when there is no state own interstate bus being played successfully from the state, except some private operators.

Second, what signal the government is trying to send to the people when it has no plan to revive or have a proper transport facility for the citizens of Manipur? The citizens of Manipur have been left to the whims and fancies of the private operators in the transport sector. In the eye of the private operators, drive by the profit motive, the citizens are not seen as human being rather they are view as money minting machine.

In the absence of an alternative, people are being forced to avail of these pathetic transport facilities that have no respect for human dignity and law. It is high time the government look into these small issues that can change the lives of its citizens before embarking on constructing big useless infrastructures.

In addition, it is surprising to see that the failure of a department to collect tax and the failure of the government to devise mechanism for the poor, the government is turning to market mechanism to provide electricity in the state. Rather than trying to bring equity in the society the government is hell bend on widening the gap between the have and have not.

The action of the government is the long run may provide an opportunity to those people that believe in the idea that markets can bring only efficiency development and the state has no role to play the development of the lives of the citizen and society at large.

Even further, the level of ineffectiveness of the government in maintaining law and order has gone down even further. How one has to understand the presence of illegal mobile drug manufacturing units in the state when it has all the resources to counter it.

Even worrisome is charge that men in uniform are engaging fake encounter in activities that they stand to prevent. And it is bizarre to find that the government or the police are investigating on the incident. In these cases it is obvious to ask what are the police and armed forces doing.

It needs to remember that if they cannot perform any function it is waste of tax payers’ money and they do not have any business to exist. Looking at all the irrational activities of the government and its instruments it is no wonder conclude that the present government of Manipur has no spine and a thinking hat for the society.

Even wonder is that the people of Manipur are actively participating in these activities without any voice of resistance, happily and gracefully.