Manipur elections not for the faint-hearted
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: January 11, 2022 -

REGARDLESS of increasing number of political leaders and parties emphasising on peaceful conduct of the upcoming assembly elections, the death of two people, who were said to be close to one of the intending candidates in Wangoi assembly constituency, in an attack by unknown gunmen on Sunday night could be an indication that the democratic exercise would be far from being placid.

Already there had been instances of violent showdowns between supporters of rival camps, scores of political workers injured and private properties damaged in retaliatory attacks, and tension still simmering in different assembly constituencies located in the valley districts.

Preceded by multiple incidents like tearing down of posters/banners and stone pelting at meeting venues to barring entry of intending candidates in specific pockets, the pre-poll tension that is rising ever since the launch of election campaigns seemed to have peaked when a student got killed in Heirok assembly constituency.

While the election-related murder in Heirok sparked massive outrage, many civil society organisations aleried the public that some unscrupulous politicians would be using the electors as pawns to achieve their objective of winning the election at any cost, even if it meant causing casualties and deaths of civilians.

Like in the past many elections conducted in the state, the upcoming five-yearly democratic exercise too would be held under the shadow of gun as is evident from the various violent incidents occurring every now and then.

There might be varied reasons for Manipur recording high turn-out of voters but youngsters taking keen interests in elections is simply based on the expectation that backing candidates with the highest potential of winning the polls will help secure government jobs or contract assignments.

With intending candidates ready to empty their coffers and resort to every tactic possible to outsmart the opponents, it could be safely stated that unlike in civilsed societies where elections are held to decide who would serve the electorates and there is maximum safety for lives during elections, in Manipur the purpose is perceived as mainly to install treasury looters.

As the stakes are very high for the upcoming elections, it is obvious that the so-called democratic exercise will not be for the faint-hearted.

Contrary to the Election Commission directing the authorities to ensure strict vigil on the international boundary that Manipur shares with Myanmar to ensure no unlawful cross-bordertransit or infiltration into the state take place during the polls, acts of violence involving use of firearms suggest that it will not be the insurgent groups that would be problematic but failure to ensure deposition of all the licenced arms and ammunition will definitely lead to the state witnessing chaos and miseries before and after the polls.

It is also worth noting that in a recent review meeting, representatives of political parties active in the state had raised concerns to the Commission over imminent use of money power, illicit liquor, narcotics drugs and intimidation to influence voters.

While cash-for-vote and voters having convenient access to addictive substances had been perennially associated with the past many elections held in the state, this time around there is every reason to believe that the threat to the voters at gun-point not to mention of bloody attacks would reach epic proportion.

Therefore, it is desired that the civil societies shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the elections are peaceful and devoid of acrimony.