Would Manipur be crying, if politicians have ears to listen?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: January 28, 2012 -
It may sound cliche, but democracy as 'a form of government of the people, by the people and for the people' as defined by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), continues to inspire and remain by far the most challenging form of government for both the politicians and the people.
For the politicians, it is a challenge to win the trust of the people, and for the people to choose the right representatives, who would work for the common good of all.
It is also this inter-relationship between the two entities that can either make or break a democratic government.
Despite what the skeptics of representative option of democracy may say, one beauty of democracy that has emerged as an aspiration to many human societies down the ages is the periodic exercise of electoral process, where these two entities are put face to face at least once in five years.
This exercise has aptly demonstrated that the political power derives from the people and is held in trust for them, and that it is the people that politicians must account for their actions.
It is no surprise that even the most powerful or richest men have to show submission with folded hands while coming to seek the mandate of the people during election time.
And why shouldn't they? After all, election is an opportunity for the people to teach or inform the representatives of their duties.
As the state goes to polls tomorrow, people in Manipur should reflect upon this simple fact and keep in mind that election to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly, which has been thrust upon them once again is not just a 'democratic ritual' happening after every five years, but a 'historic opportunity' for rewriting their own destiny, even if for the next five years.
Forget about the historicalness of the present election wherein the ruling Congress party is looking to make it third time lucky and alliance of the Opposition parties employing every means to shatter that dream; forget about Naga People's Front, a political party based in Nagaland, entering the electoral fray to test it mettle, on the plank of Naga integrations and better still, forget all about the promises made in their election manifestos by various political parties.
But think about the myriad issues afflicting the state today - how these issues affect us and why they have remained so with no apparent solution in sight for long.
Whether it be the issues over ensuring basic civic amenities like regular power and water supply, motorable road and communication facilities or weighty political issues of insurgency, demand for creation of more districts, etc, why they have been dragged on for years? This definitely is not a billion dollar question and every individual who is worth his/her salt should be able to answer it.
If the politicians, the so-called public representatives to be precise, have ears to listen to the cries of the people and ability to solve problems promptly, do you think Manipur would be as chaotic as it is today? Definitely not.
You can bet on it.
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