Disbanding SIU : Shielding drug barons ? Eroding the trust quotient
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 15, 2013 -

Trust deficit. And it is primarily the doing of the Government. The hue and cry raised against the disbandment of the Special Investigation Unit of Imphal West police is a clear indication of the deep erosion of the trust quotient between the Government and the public.

In many ways it is not just a case of people raising their voice and questioning the motive of the Government in disbanding a unit, but is reflective of the deep divide between the public and the Government, especially Government agencies which are there to enforce the rule of law.

And it goes without saying that this is not a healthy trend at all. In this particular case, consider some points. On January 11, a huge consignment of drugs was seized by a team of the SIU led by an Inspector from Tulihal airport.

A few days after the huge drug consignment was seized, the SIU team was disbanded and earlier the Inspector who led the team was transferred.

What added to the web of intrigues and gave room for conspiracy theories to do the round was the fact that in the interregnum the identity of the owner of the drugs was not disclosed.

It was only after the people started raising their voice, that a name was furnished. An alibi ? Bordered more on a damage control exercise.

The plot only got murkier when Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, who also holds the Home portfolio, casually stated on record that he did not know about the existence of the SIU nor about its disbandment.

The internal arrangement explanation trotted out by the police did not help matter either for reasons that should be clear to all.

The SIU may have been an internal arrangement, but the drug seizure cannot be said to be an internal affair of the Police Department.

It had come to the public domain and in a place which has been ravaged by drug abuse, it is only right that any seizure of drugs should move to the realm of the public domain.

Clever use of term or juggling words can only work to a certain extent. Some people may be fooled for some time but not all the people for all time.

This is a universal truth and the stance adopted by the State Government apparently conveys the message that it thinks the public can be fooled by juggling words.

Worth over Rs 1 crore and it is common sense that the player/s behind the drug consignment can only be big fishes with immense money power, which may be translated to political clout.

Smells fishy and anything fishy cannot the escape the nostrils or the smelling sense of the people. This is a bare fact.

Like every other controversial case, this one too will most probably fade from public memory, giving the Government and the agencies concerned enough space and time to cover up their tracks.

The result of such a trend is the trust deficit that is growing by leaps and bounds. Manipur cannot exactly afford this at this point of time, when different competing forces are tearing at her seams. Now is the time for the people and the Government to go together.

However this all important point has obviously not registered in the minds of the powers that be.

How can anyone be so important that he or she should be protected and in the process drive a wedge between the people and the Government or between the public and their elected leaders ?

The need for a whistle blower is growing. An inside job needs to be cleaned from the inside, an inside job can only exposed to the public by an inside hand.

Food for thought for all those who are in the position to give some lead on the case.

This is wishful thinking for sure, but an idea worth exploring !