What a shame ! Make that a Capital Shame !

Samarjit Kambam *

PRO, PIB Defense Wing, Lt Col Ajay Choudury and others produced before court at Imphal on 8th March 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

There is no reiterating the fact that the army and state security forces have, since long time back been the hustler and hauler of psychotropic and narcotic drugs. The public knew, everybody knew that they were the main culprit but kept mum due to want of evidence.

Of late, the smuggling out of huge quantity of psychotropic drug Pseudoephedrine by one Col Choudhury involving the prodigy of a high profile Minister TN Haopik at Pallel and the recent recovering of huge consignment of Pseudoephedrine and other unnamed drugs by Thoubal District Commandos from Imphal East Commandos on their way to Moreh the border of Manipur and Burma has brought to the limelight that the law enforcers are the ones who are breaking the law committing acts which can be considered criminal amounting to murder.

Being the arms of the law and camouflaging as law enforcers, the army and security forces have been carrying out such acts with impunity. Now the public's suspicion and doubts have been cleared. Skeletons have started falling from the cupboard. The issue could not be swept under the carpet anymore.

Pseudoephedrine, a chemical which is used as a composition in some form of medicine is being used as the main component for manufacturing a different kind of psychotropic drug by some South Asian Nations some of which are labelled 'WY' which means 'World is Yours' and other similar drugs which is again smuggled in India through Imphal-Moreh road NH 53. Manipur has thus become the superhighway for drug trafficking.

If the recent incident of drug haul at Thoubal was carried out by civilians, the action taken up by law enforcing agencies would have taken a different turn. But since these ghastly acts were carried out by security forces themsselves, they would be retained for a few days in police custody, may be suspended(just for name sake) and then they will go scot free again with impunity as the higher authorities of Police Dept of Manipur will try to save their face.

So, the question is whom shall we trust? When the law enforcers become law breakers, it is a matter of great concern and confusion to the public. Now the public has lost faith in army and security forces. The common people are groping in the dark towards the door to justice.

Unfortunately, The door to justice is not open anymore to us, the common people. There is no point in redressing our grievances. Its like crying over spilled milk. The public are in a dilemma. Where shall the public seek the truth, where the justice has become a system of 'might is right' prevails. The concerned rulers of the state are too busy looting the state coffer to think about the public's welfare.

Now we are thriving in a society that has no room for law abiding and decent citizens. If we have to sustain in a society like; this we have to do away with our decency, we have to be belligerent, pick up weapons, and follow the principle of 'the wolve rules, not the sheep'. Now also, if we do some serious introspection, it can be found out that most of the rich and well to do class of people have pathetic backgrounds be it education, social relation and the likes. These elite class of people are nothing but gangsters in disguise.

They have all the connections be it underground, overground, police department, illegal traders, smugglers etc. Otherwise, where would all the money come from?. Nowadays, a person who was nobody a few years back possess multi-storeyed houses, fancy vehicles within a few months which a salaried government servant takes years to achieve. This shows the sorry picture of the state of Manipur. The rich become richer and the poor become poorer.

The chameleon politicians will suddenly love the poor or the have-nots only at the time of election. At other times, the common people are just taken for granted. It can rightly be concluded that the Imphal East police commandos are just a pawn of higher level thugs with high power disguised as compassionate and kind person.

But they are not booked. They are traveling in their luxury cars or SUVs sipping imported wines and smoking expensive cigars cocooned in their own selfish carefree world without giving a damn thought for the public. It is only the poor who are victimised.

Deputy Chief Minister Mr Gaikhangam's directives to bring the culprits to book and not sparing whoever that were involved in the recent incidents are most welcome. Whether it materialises or not is a different issue. The common people are really fed up with all these dramas or fake plays performed by law enforcers.

Man is a social animal. That's why there is an institution called 'Society', but what good will a society become if the public lose complete faith to the law makers and law enforcers?

Not to mention smuggling of psychotropic drugs to other neighbouring countries, many other drugs be it psychotropic, narcotic, hallucinogen, analgesic, opiates and other tobacco products are also brought into our state in an unimaginable and unprecedented scale and it comes in bulk from other parts of mainland India.

So, taking into account the huge quantity of drugs being brought to Manipur from other parts of mainland India and from abroad it is obvious that there are many organised gangs who have access to Ministers, high ranking Army officials, State Police, Narcotics, Border Affairs personnel etc. The table of good law enforcement system has been turned upside down.

Now is the right time for the public to face the reality that the law makers are the law breakers.