It is not surprising that His Excellency Arvind Dave has today the 6th of August 2004, advised the Chief Minister to prorogue the Manipur Assembly curtailing and subduing every right of the Manipuries. Astonishingly it is his last discharge of duty as the Governor of the state. This very last discharge of duty on his last day of the governorship by His Excellency has clearly exposed the epoxied stand of the Central Government of not removing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 from the soil of Manipur. It is a clear evidence of another suppression and cracking down on the people of Manipur and the North-Eastern Region as a whole by the Government of India. Dr Shivinder Singh Sidhu succeeds his Excellency Arvind Dave as the 18th Governor of the State.

The Pandora box of the colonial policy and the colonial rule of the Union Government have been exposed in the daylight today. The Union Ministry for Home Affairs have informed the state government stating that even if the Cabinet of Manipur Assembly wishes to pass a resolution for the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958, it can only do so with the kind consent of his Excellency the Governor of Manipur. This act of curbing the rights' and the ultimate wishes of the people of Manipur by the Union Government is nothing but to once again ascertained and affirmed of the authority of the Colonial Power.

On one side with more and more pressure amounting and the movements intensifying more aggressively for the revocation and repealing of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 and on the other side the union government glued at not to repeal but to retain the act, a clash is inevitable for sure. The outcome and the aftermath result of the clash will be something the world will gawp at. And the whole responsibility will lie with the GOVERNMENT of INDIA for not been able to digest and understand the degree of these tedium dissatisfactions of the people of Manipur arising out of the long imposition of this brutal and lawlessness act.

Dr Shivinder Singh Sidhu succeeds his Excellency Arvind Dave as the 18th Governor of the State. But how far will His Excellency be able to discharge his duties on behalf of the Government of India and in rendering His Excellency's services, in the service and for the well being of the people of Manipur as promised during his oath taking ceremony, when the whole of Manipur is waiting to revolt against this Tyrannic Law after it's August 15, 2004 date line? Can the ultimate weapon 'PRESIDENT'S RULE' check and chill the burning feelings of people of Manipur?

With only nine days in hand for the date line of August 15 to expire, the working committee of the 32 organizations, who is taking the lead role in the moment have decided and passed a resolution to boycott and close down all government establishments and departments both of the union and the state from August 9, 2004 onwards. Heavy penalties have been announced for all office goers if they act against the decision of the committee. While at the same time the state police are on the hunt for the leaders of all these organizations. Recall may be made of the Manipur Youth Forward Front's (MAFYF) (another active body of this movement) decision of remain cutting off Manipur from the Indian mainland is in exercised from the 3rd of August and the only link with outside Manipur being the Air Services, which also from any day might get suspended.

A big thanks to the 24X7 NDTV tonight's discussion on the topic "Manipur in Turmoil" with the kind participation of Major Gen A Karim and Human Rights activist Mr Ravi Nair along with telephonic participation of Mr Pradeep Phanjaobam, Editor Imphal Free Press. But it could have been far resulting and appreciating if the topic being discussed have been something like "What lies beyond August 15 date line in Manipur". The topic being discussed today is too late to give any impact on both the concrete stands already taken on either side of the Union Government and the people of Manipur.

It is high time for all veto power exercising agencies both in the national and the internal level to find out the ground reality without losing any more valuable time. A time to deeply monitor and participate in the movement, so as to soothe and avoid all the unwanted things that might come up before it is too late. Untold miseries and bloodbath awaits us all.