Manipur has been in incessant turmoil since July 11 after the alleged rape and murder of Th. Manorama by the Assam Rifles. The common people there have since been demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, (AFSPA) 1958. But both the state and central governments have not yet heeded to the peoples' cry of anguish. Why?

The centre has not even been interested in providing firefighting services-giving succor to the bereaved family, allaying the fears, and assuaging the hurt sentiments of the people-let alone addressing the crux of the problem. If Manipuris are also rightful citizens of the country just like the rest of the Indians, why don't the PM or the Home Minister pay a visit to Manipur and address the peoples' grievances directly.

Instead of giving cold, indifferent, laconic remarks from air-conditioned rooms in Delhi by Mr.Shivraj Patil that the situation there is 'abnormal' and that of Mr Pranab Mukherjee that there is no question of 'rethink' on the issue. Hon'ble Home Minister has even been quoted as saying that 'modern technology' has not reached the north east and there is 'tribalism' there, when asked to explain why Manipur is 'on a boil'.

Look at the comedy of errors: A lady in the prime of youth is picked up by an all-male Indian security forces' team before her dear family members in the dead of night and later, allegedly, raped and murdered and when people demand justice, the state government's response is more curfews, more repression and the central government's cold, indifferent, laconic, 'heartless'-even 'mindless'-remarks, such as 'tribalism', 'no rethink', 'no modern technology'.

If many of North East's ethnic groups are tribals, is that their fault-if so, why don't the hon'ble minister take up a mission of 'hinduisation'/sankritisation/indianisation of the NE instead of giving such callous remarks? It is ironic that a central cabinet minister can pass a remark like 'modern technology has not reached there', without baiting an eyelid.

If that is so, Mr Minister, is that not a shame on the central (and state) governments? Is it 'tribalism' to protest against injustice or are all the disturbances in NE due to lack of modern technology? On the latter, Mr. Minister may have a point, are not most of the fruits of modern technology monopolized by the metros and 'first class citizens' of India?

If Mr. Shivraj Patil is so selflessly concerned about modern tech not reaching NE, I would appeal to him to create a corpus fund in his ministry to address this imbalance. Is it not like an arrogant father giving a good thrashing to his own son for his asking some needs to be fulfilled and when the latter starts crying and seeking some solace, the former threatens, "I won't listen to you till you stop crying and saying that you are not hurt at all" ?

Can't the people of Manipur expect 'a healing touch' at least from the Delhi Raj, if not a thorough redressal of their social and economic problems? I was always told by people more knowledgeable than me in politics that 'in democracy the desire of the government coincides with that of the people'. How wrongly have I learned or have been thought !

In a democracy, do the voices of the people matter or not? Or, are the people of the north east to be permanently taken for a ride by self-seeking state politicians and 'colonial' masters in Delhi? It is high time that the media plays an activist role to bridge the ever-widening chasm between the corridors of power in Delhi and the 'unheard voices' in the North East. Or, is Delhi and North East- a bridge too far?

The relevant question is not if the military or militants are better or worse guys but whether the Centre must consider NE only as a 'law and order' or as an 'unreached' frontier wanting to be a part of the solution called 'India'. Or does Delhi still wants to 'rule' over NE as the British did over India? Or, is 'Civilizing NE' the 'Delhi durbar's burden', for mainstream India?

It is high time for the centre to repeal or suspend, at least for some time, the AFSPA, 1958, and for the PM or Home Minister to visit Manipur to address the peoples' demands there and chalk out a long-term strategy for development of the entire North East including Manipur. This must be done immediately before time runs out. When the centre could repeal POTA, why can't it do so in the case of AFSPA? Don't the people of the North East also matters in India's scheme of things?