CCpur incident: Arsonists exploiting shutdown call!
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 29, 2023 -

IT'S obvious that no sane person would subscribe to the idea of causing damages to public properties, be they ordinary structures or costly infrastructure, in order to air grievances or denounce government apathy, if any.

Like it or not, there seems to be a tacit accord between the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), which announced an 8-hour shutdown in Churachandpur district from Friday morning to protest the presence of chief minister N Biren in a public event, and the mob that destroyed and set afire the newly developed Open Gym at PT Sports Complex which was set for inaugurating by the chief minister.

Apart from irreparable destruction caused to the Open Gym, the mob also damaged platform and furniture items arranged at the nearby Sadbhavna Mandap Hall, New Lamka, where the formal inauguration of the Gym alongside the first anniversary of the election of Churachandpur MLA LM Khaute was scheduled.

While it is certain that the government will repair or replace the gym equipment, the act of arson perpetrated tantamount to challenging the authority, for which the perpetrators shall have to repent sooner or later as the law enforcement agencies would be left with no other option than tracking down and rounding up the culprits, especially as the incident has gone viral on the social media.

Another interesting aspect of Friday evening's incident is that it happened hours before the shutdown came into effect, thereby underscoring resolve of the arsonists to sabotage the event scheduled to be attended by the chief minister and other dignitaries at any cost.

As had been reported ITLF declared shutdown in Churachandpur district citing lackadaisical attitude of the state government towards addressing the plight of the people and contending that several memoranda submitted to the government highlighting grievances and apprehensions related to conduct of survey and demarcate boundaries of reserved and protected forests, wetlands and wildlife zone, and eviction of villages went unheeded.

Another point raised by the Forum is that demolition of churches by the government implies disrespect of the Christian faith believers.

Apparently the church referred to by ITLF appears to be the one demolished recently in Tribal Colony, New Checkon, for which works minister Govindas Konthoujam clarified on Thursday that the place of worship had to be brought down after obtaining permission from the court to make way for construction of multi-storey residential complex for the tribal government employees.

With regard to eviction drives carried out to preserve reserved/protected forests in tribal dominated area, ITLF can't ignore the fact that many a structures were destroyed and fertile paddy cultivation land prohibited from agricultural activities in the plains as well as hillocks adjoining the valley to evict structures constructed without authorisation along the river banks or to acquire land for projects of prime importance.

Moreover, a recent meeting between representatives of village authorities of Churachandpur district and MLAs of the district with the government had agreed to conduct land surveys only with the consent of the villagers.

Thus, it is desired that ITLF join hands with other aggrieved parties to drag the government to the court of law if it suspects that the establishment is targeting specific community as possibility of inimical elements taking undue advantage and exploiting sensitive issues to incite violence cannot be ruled.