Delivering a point maturely: No rhetoric approach
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 13 2019 -

Mature approach. No rhetoric, no slamming others but yet delivering a point in such a way that it does not rub anyone the wrong way up.

This is Outer Lok Sabha MP Dr Lorho Pfoze.

The ‘be humble to the neighbouring communities’ line adopted by Dr Lorho Pfoze was a master stroke in the sense that the MP managed to chide those who have the penchant to irk and irritate others while at the same time underlining the point that the Nagas are different by his words, ‘neighbouring communities’.

A line which has been stated by numerous others but which always ended rubbing others the wrong way, for it goes against the spirit of one Manipur whose futures are inextricably linked.

In Dr Lorho Pfoze, the people of the Outer Parliamentary Constituency, particularly the Nagas, appear to have the right man at the right place, but ultimately the fact that he is there to represent the areas that come under the Outer Parliamentary Constituency and not just one community should not blow over anyone’s head.

This is the fine line that Dr Lorho Pfoze seems to be trying to walk without rubbing anyone the wrong way and it is only expected the Nagas too do not provoke or demand that he strike a more radical stand and speak out to target the idea of anything that stands for and by Manipur.

That he is different from the other political leaders whose strength lies in provoking others, was clear during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections much before he became an MP.

This is the type of mature approach that is needed to address sensitive issues and the demand for a Greater Lim is certainly a sensitive issue.

Be humble also goes perfectly well with the teaching of the Almighty and the prayers that the MP has been vouching for ever since he came into the public spotlight.

There is nothing to be lost by being humble and in fact everything to gain, for understanding the stand and viewpoints of others demand a degree of humility, the willingness to sit down and hear the others out, never mind if the political aspirations may be poles apart.

This approach is also all that more needed when the ongoing political negotiation between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India is reportedly at its final stage and only some issues need to be tackled and ironed out.

This is where what a political leader says in the public domain becomes all that more important and every leader worth his or her salt need to take a leaf or two out of the observation of the Lok Sabha MP.

No thumping of the chest and no words aimed at provoking others who may have a totally different political viewpoint.

A lesson which other civil society organisations which stand against the idea of Manipur as a geo-political reality should learn.

This line of reasoning may be seen in the backdrop of the fact that whatever the outcome may be, the people will have to continue to live together.

This is what history and geography have thrust upon the people and there is no way to negate this universal fact.