All round confusion in society : Recipe for rumours to float
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 08 2015 -

Maybe it is the all pervading tension and the disturbance in the day to day existence of the common people.

Or maybe it has something to do with the general attitude of the people towards life.

The reasons could be many, but it may not be overstating the fact if one were to say that there is all round confusion in the lives of the average citizen.

This could be one reason why merit has taken a back seat and anyone with enough lung power and the ability to create nuisance is dictating terms and conditions for everyone to follow.

A sick society, this is what Manipur is fast hurtling towards and aiding this descent to such a state is when no voice of dissent or disagreement is articulated against such nonsensical conditions laid down for everyone to follow.

The list is long, too long, but the worrying part is there just does not seem to be a point when people as a whole will wake up to the reality and start asserting their stand.

A society which does not question but blindly follows is anathema to the idea of progress and development and it is more than obvious that the elements who expect society to follow their biddings do so with an agenda, which is strictly personal.

This personal agenda comes under the garb of doing something positive and good for society and it says something disturbing that no questions have been raised against the agenda of such elements.

More than right that people start raising questions on issues which directly impact their lives for silence here is certainly not the better part of valour. Neither can it be said to be prudent.

It is not that the people of Manipur do not know when to raise questions but it is such that the questions thus raised so far appear to be selective and this is difficult to digest. In such a situation confusion is bound to reign.

And when there is confusion, then it offers just the right ambience for rumours to spread, with some taking a certain degree of legitimacy.

Not a pretty situation, but this can at times be frustrating and at times be comical as well.

With bandhs today becoming somewhat regular, in the face of the intense movement launched to demand the implementation of Inner Line Permit System in the State, rumours of bandh have been doing the round.

This is the reason why The Sangai Express alone has received numerous phone calls, all inquiring whether there is a bandh or not. Difficult to trace the origin of such a rumour, but to be sure there must be some mischief mongers behind.

This may be one reason why certain prominent organisations deemed it better to clarify to the public that they have not lined up a bandh or two through the mass media, such as the All India Radio and the local television networks.

The bandh rumour may be dismissed as non-consequential but this can have a telling impact on the psyche of the people.

It is also a reflection of where society as a whole stands.

When confusion reigns as a result of the people refusing to raise questions which directly affect them then be sure that the people in Manipur have been raising the wrong noises all these years.

Something which should not be prescribed, especially at this stage when so many challenges are lying ahead.