No time to ponder, its time to act
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: January 21, 2012 -

Many have come, many have gone, but we Manipuris remain as we were 30 years back, without any change, without any development or whatsoever.

Many political parties have come up with varied promises which were never fulfilled as one expected.

The repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 which has been a long time demand of the people of the state, has also been a promise of almost all political parties coming to power in the state.

But none of the parties whosoever have been in power care to put their promise to action, except for the Congress party which has withdrawn the Act from seven Assembly segments.

However, the Congress, this time, though talks of removing the Act from the rest of the state, in its election manifesto, clearly stated that it "will consider as and when the situation of the Law and Order is improved".

The party has made no commitment regarding the issue of Inner Line Permit.

Political parties should list out what they intend to do after coming to power, but what the people of the state really desire at this point of time is not merely unfulfilled promises made by political parties but solid actions from their sides.

With the Assembly election round the corner, almost all the political parties of the state have come up with their own election manifestoes with various promises that the party will fulfill if it comes to power.

The ruling parties as well as the parties in opposition are trying to woo the electors with their promises.

Some of them even promising the stars while some even forgetting to promise people their daily bread.

The candidates should realize that people are not asking for the moon or the stars; they just want their basic necessities like food, water and electricity.

The public would be most delighted if they are provided these basic necessities without any hassle.

It's not a matter of who promises what, but it's a matter of how the people judge their promises.

It is we, the people who are going to decide as to who is fit to come to power and who should be given the back seat.

The problem lies here.

No matter how much we try and how much we convince ourselves that we should together come forward as one and bring about a change, the change which we already have in our minds but seldom have the power to bring about.

It is time the people of the state to carefully judge the candidates.

The people should carefully monitor the intentions of the candidates who are contesting in the elections as it is quite clear that some of the candidates coming up this time have come up just for the hack of it, just because they have money and further require power, while some coming up by the pressure of the people, though they initially don't want to.

What is going to be the fate of Manipur if these candidates are voted to power, is a matter of deep concern.

It is high time that we commit ourselves in bringing up those who value the cause of the people rather than their pockets, judging them by their works rather than by their never fulfilling promises.

It is time to act rather than to ponder over and over again.