High on promises but low on substance : Banking on populist measures
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 02 , 2014 -

High on promises but low on the 'believable' quotient.

This is about the election manifesto of the CPI or the Left and Secular Alliance.

In Dr Nara, the CPI or the LSA has a man who is well known for his personal integrity, a trait which not all the candidates in the fray have but yet as manifestoes go, the LSA seems lost on ideas and inspirations.

As noted before in this column, promises cost nothing and so tall promises are always made at election time.

That the CPI or the LSA has preferred to go for the tried and tested is there for all to see if one studies their manifesto with a clear and objective mind.

Repeal of AFSPA, preceded by the words to Save Sharmila, may sound a little different but then this is not much very different from the stand of the Congress which is under the impression that by keeping Sharmila under judicial custody, they are doing her a service, that is saving her life.

This goes against the very stand of Sharmila for the crusader has more than made it clear that she is not here to die but to fight for a cause she is deeply concerned with.

So that should neutralise the stand of the Congress as well as the CPI's manifesto which tried to make a difference in stating Save Sharmila followed by repeal the Army Act.

Populist this is the word that comes to mind when one tries to digests the content of the manifesto.

In an apparent bid to reach out to the senior citizens and the peasantry, the CPI or LSA stated that it would try to ensure that all peasants above the age of 60 are given a monthly pension of Rs 3000 each.

The manifesto however fell short of mentioning from where the money is going to come.

To be fair to the CPI their manifesto did touch on some of the burning issues such as safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur, settling the border row with Myanmar, deployment of highway protection force along the Imphal-Dimapur route as well a Imphal-Jiri line, to urge the Government of India to initiate peace talk with the armed outfits etc.

These points are fine for they are in the interest of Manipur and her people, but there is nothing new in what the CPI has had to say.

Perhaps the only novel thing in the manifesto is the point that the party would reach out to the Manipuri diaspora spread across the country as well as abroad and invite inputs for the socio-economic development of the land.

It is not yet known whether a blue print has been worked out for the Manipuri diaspora to chip in with their thoughts and ideas and if such a blue print has been prepared it would do the party a whole lot of good to bring it to the public domain.

Ideally election manifestoes should not be about a piece of paper containing what the party has in mind if voted to power.

It should be this and something more. It should showcase the ideology of the party concerned as well as demonstrate how it intends to go about fulfilling the promises made in the manifesto.

Tall promises should be a NO.

And so are populist measures or policies. Such an approach can have a short life span for ultimately what matters is performance if once elected.

One important point that the CPI should have included in its manifesto is the safety of women and children, especially in a place like Manipur, where women are placed on the pedestal in the public but are subjected to all sorts of harassment inside the confines of their homes.

Child trafficking is an issue which has rocked Manipur a number of times yet not much importance seems to have been given to this menace.

How empowered is the State Women's Commission ?

Is it a place for retired women professionals who have close political links or is it a place run by professionals who understand women and children issues ?

This is an issue which all political parties should concentrate upon and give it the importance it deserves.

The BJP has already released its manifesto for the Outer Parliamentary seat and the others are likely to follow soon.

However as the past has proved, election manifestoes are hardly followed and they are forgotten the moment the election is over.

If the promises made in the election manifestoes of all political parties are pursued with the seriousness it deserves then Manipur would not be in the position in which it finds itself in today.

Now let's wait and see what the Congress has to say.