Business terrorism
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 17 2012:
Taking advantage of the present situation characterised by insurgency and State sponsored terrorism, a new form of terrorism has emerged in Manipur with big business cliques as its agents, alleged president of Manipur Intellectual Forum (MIF) Ch Gopalmacha.
The words "business terrorism" assumes relevance in the present situation of Manipur where big business class has been fixing prices of all commodities at their whim thereby pushing the common people to the limits, he said while speaking to media persons at their Nagamapal office this afternoon.
People would not raise any grudges if the prices of essential commodities escalated due to natural calamities.
But what is being witnessed in Manipur is all artificial and is a manifestation of neo-colonialism completely dominated by capitalists and monopolists, Gopalmacha said.
Earlier, Manipur had one Chamber of Commerce and it fixed prices of goods together with Government representatives.
Now the Chamber of Commerce has disappeared while the Government's price fixation committees remain non-functional both at the State and district level.
Meanwhile, business classes have been fixing prices of goods much higher than normal prices applicable elsewhere across the country citing insurgency movement and the concomitant illegal taxes.
This is nothing but exploitation of the mass.
To address this woes, an ad-hoc people's price monitoring committee has been constituted during a meeting organised by the MIF.
The meeting was attended by more than 10 social organisations including the Senior Citizens for Society and the All Manipur Bar Association.
The committee would soon launch an awareness campaign across the State on the abnormally high prices of goods, said Gopalmacha.
As a part of the campaign, sit-in-protest and road-side meetings would be organised.
Further, another meeting would be convened soon together civil society organisations and student bodies so as to expand the committee.
The campaign is aimed at minimising the impact of globalization on the people of Manipur and draw attention of the incumbent Government which is allegedly bereft of any governance.
He also appealed to all the people not to file any PIL in connection with the escalating prices as such initiative may turn away the Government from the issue.