KYKL attributes all problems to 'alien' rule-I
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 24 2021: The proscribed KYKL has categorically asserted that the root cause of all the problems and challenges besieging the contemporary Kanglei (Manipuri) society is the 'alien' rule.

A statement issued by KYKL Chairman N Oken on the occasion of the outfit's 27th raising day (April 25) conveyed warm greetings to all the peoples of WESEA and Kangleipak, revolutionary groups, CSOs, public intellectuals and media persons.

While conveying gratitude to all the health care workers and frontline workers who successfully tackled the COVID-19 first wave, the Chairman wished that the health care workers and the frontline workers shall defeat the second wave too.

Saying that Kangleipak is now surrounded by several challenges which seem to be quite formidable, the Chairman remarked that majority of the people seemed to be hopeless of finding solutions to the myriad challenges and they seemed to have resigned to a fate of ultimate extinction of Kanglei people.

Even as a large number of people have lost hope and faith to redeem the Kanglei society, there are still many people who have been working relentlessly to overcome all the problems and challenges besieging the contemporary society, Oken said.

Many intellectuals and social workers have been studying all the problems and challenges, and also exploring different options to overcome these challenges.

"However, all of us seem to be either unaware or deliberately overlooking that the root cause of all the problems of Kanglei society is the alien rule, and this is our common flaw or weakness", Oken said.

Elaborating on his assertion that the alien rule is the root cause of all the problems and challenges, Oken cited a number of reasons.

One of the biggest problems of Kangleipak is its dependent economy.

Kangleipak has been surviving on annual grant of Rs 20,000/30,000 crore doled out by New Delhi.

Yet, Kangleipak still remains the third poorest State in India.

Even though a handful of people have become quite rich and wealthy, majority of the people have been living under extreme poverty.

One major factor for the poverty of Kangleipak is the planning and economic policy of India, the rebel leader alleged.

If a State is compelled to subsist on annual grants and loans instead of developing its productive forces, the State will never see economic development.

New Delhi has been applying the same policy to Kangleipak, according to the statement.

Before 1949 when Manipur did not receive a single penny from any country, majority of the people enjoyed economic security.

But today when Manipur is receiving almost 30,000 crore in a year from New Delhi, majority of the people are reeling under extreme poverty.

This is a clear testimony that it is the alien rule which is keeping the people of Kangleipak under poverty, Oken said.

Another major problem of Kangleipak is the degeneration of politics to the lowest level, the KYKL Chairman continued.

He said that the integrity of politicians and the quality of governance have degraded to the lowest level.

It would be hard to find politicians/officers who are not corrupted.

Elections are won by men who can spend the highest amount of money and intercommunity bond has been jeopardised very badly, he said.

Governance is almost non-existent.

But when people try to find out the reason for this abject failure, the proverbial' question of who comes first, hen or egg, emerges.

If one blames politicians for the decadence, another blames the public but no one names the alien rule for the malady.

If one has money, he can win elections and it does not matter whether he is in possession of fake certificates or he is a drug lord or a man of corruption or a blatant liar, Oken remarked.

When one sees this picture, it appears that it is the masses who are more culpable.

But what is seen by the eyes is only superficial.

The root cause is the alien rule, he alleged.

The reality is that the alien rule has degenerated the local politicians and the people of Kangleipak and also transformed them into puppets.

Local politicians cannot do anything for the masses for they are not authorised by New Delhi to chalk out any plan or policy.

Failure to distinguish what is right and what is wrong on the part of the people is another major challenge of contemporary Kangleipak.

It seems that there is no dividing line between what is permissible and what is prohibited, the Chairman continued.

"Deceitfulness and misdeeds have become our nature but this is not something which we inherited from our forefathers", Oken said.

When the social structure and system is such that there is little avenue for employment and it is hard to survive without 'begging', one does not get even fundamental rights without offering bribes, one cannot earn without slyness, hard working people languish in poverty while dishonest and crafty people can amass wealth, it is only natural for the masses to indulge in all kinds of unethical, dishonest, mean and immoral tactics to ensure survival.

This is another socio-economic ailment brought about by the alien rule, Oken alleged.

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