High on promises low on deliverance : Intentional myopia
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 16, 2012 -

The dividing line between what is said from the pulpit and what is actually delivered at the ground runs deep. But politicians are “intentionally myopic enough” to miss this deep divide and confuse governance with verbal promises that have a high decibel value but have nothing much to show by way of deliverance.

The impact is felt not only on the continuous failure of the system to tackle issues which are dear to the people but in the emergence of a citizenry who can be led by their nose through sheer rhetoric.

Riding this thought currency are numerous measures which have been taken up with gusto and hyped to their limit, the pre-paid system initiated by the State Power Department being one example that comes to mind.

Tom-tommed as the answer to the perplexing question of tackling unauthorised connection as well as non-payment of electricity tariff, the end objective of this measure is undoubtedly ensuring adequate power supply to the genuine consumers.

That this step has been taken up to co-incide with the 20 hours of power supply in a day promise by the Chief Minister is interesting for this gives rise to another pertinent question of how the Power Department intends to make up the shortfall caused by the inability of the transmission wire to bring in the needed load of energy from the power corporations based outside the State.

A case of a high voltage promise without acknowledging the primary cause or a case of putting the cart before the horse.

A near perfect recipe to add more sting to the growing cult of scepticism amongst the public and this is not a healthy sign at all. Just how casually the Government has been on tackling power theft or unauthorised connection is exemplified by the manner in which the high drama drive launched by the Power Department some time back collapsed like a pack of card, with not a single charge sheet filed. The caricature of big talks scripted by the Government is complete.

If promises would suffice for governance then Manipur would not have earned the tag of a failed State, unceremoniously given by some media establishments.

While the failed State tag rankled some and shamed others from this fabled land, promises and grand intentions continue to define the personality of some political leaders.

The new Home Minister, Mr Gaikhangam, seems to have his heart in the right place and he seems intent on sending out the message that he is here to do a job, which is transform the image of the State Police Department. Not bad going for a man who has seen it all from close range.

Image comes from a structure which is the sum total of the character of the people who form the structure. Given that the structure of the police rests on a foundation of arrogance, corruption, unprofessionalism, insensitivity, high-handedness, brutality and almost all the negative connotations that one can think of, it is going to take more than a lecture in a Moral Science classroom to change their colour.

This is what the Home Minister should realise and the first step towards coming anywhere near his stated objective of changing the image of the police would be to acknowledge the fact.

Political patronisation has been the source of sustenance for the badge of arrogance and brutality worn by the State police. Professionalism has come to mean how well the men in uniform can play ball with the fancy and whims of the political class and this is saying something extremely significant.

The Home Minister should tackle this or else his assurance would be reduced to nothing less than an exercise in lung power.