Not the time for CM to waste on trailers
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: September 28, 2023 -

EVEN as the effort of the Government of Manipur to paint and present a near-perfect picture of a strife-torn state returning to normalcy to the world has been ripped apart after some photos revealing the ultimate fate of two students who went missing since July 6 surfaced on the social media, the manner in which the state police and other central security personnel flexed their muscle while trying to control the angry student protesters who were demanding justice for the two students has acted like pouring oil into an already blazing fire.

By taking out rallies from their respective schools/colleges, the aggrieved students were only asking for an audience with the Chief Minister to get an assurance from him that justice will be done but the security personnel resorted to firing numerous tear gas shells and mock bombs, resulting in injuries to scores of students.

This is a fact known to all by now.

So, the statement from the police control room claiming that security personnel had used minimum force to disperse the congregation and fired some tear gas shells in which some people got injured, when the truth is otherwise, is bound to anger not only the students but also the general people even more.

Moreover, declaration of holidays for two days in educational institutions and shutting off the mobile internet service after two days of lifting it following months of suspension are ill-conceived measures adopted by the state administration.

How these two ill-conceived measures have become counter-productive could be seen from the mammoth rallies that were taken out in different parts of the state by the students on Wednesday.

The disappointment of the people over the failure of the state administration to prevent the crisis from going out of hand while there was still time and its incapacity to come up with a viable solution to the nearly five months long crisis is too apparent today.

So, the state administration and its police force should understand that the situation in the state at the moment is not just tense but explosive and anything could happen if not handle with care.

With the people at their wits end now, the least that Chief Minister N Biren Singh could do is to come out personally and meet the angry students and convince them that justice would be done instead of issuing statement asking the people to exercise restraint and let the authorities handle the investigation.

Inviting a team of CBI officials for recovering the dead bodies of the two missing students while the state government and its police force had done nothing precious to rescue them while still alive in the captivity of the armed Kuki militants is not going to pacify the angry people anymore.

As the leader of a democratically elected government, Chief Minister N Biren Singh is expected to understand the anger of the suffering people and take up some concrete measures for restoring peace and normalcy in the state by taking everyone into confidence.

Instead of wasting his time on responding to each and every meme as well as internet trolling, the Chief Minister should concentrate on larger issues which are at stake.

Even if he has been despised by people from both sides of the clash divide at the moment, it is not the time for Chief Minister N Biren Singh to act tough against the internet trailers but to toughen the resolve of his government to fight against inimical elements which are trying to tear apart the state and divide its people.

This should be his salvation.