Monsoon arrived, along came the rain, so does the troubles, but the clouds we didn't see were raining mercilessly on Manipur long before the rain had set in.

Life seems to be in ditches in the backwater of 'The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM)' launching the blockade of the state's two National Highways on June 20, demanding the revocation of Manipur Government's decision to declare June 18 as "State Integrity Day".

With the blockade accompanied all the hardships in Manipur however life still goes on with black-marketing and exorbitant prices of daily needed commodities like salt at Rs9, Rice at Rs14, Potato at Rs15, Onion at Rs22 all per Kg and infamously petrol at an unbelievable rate of Rs75/litre!!!

Still more to come with Kohima based Naga Students' Federation joining the blockade and the Nagaland Government giving no guarantee for safe passage of Imphal-bound vehicles inside Nagaland territory.

With Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh's Government in no idea to revoke the Government's decision of declaring June 18 as " State Integrity Day" and Naga Students in no mood to negotiate the crisis smells really repugnant. It is very unfortunate that neither the party sense that there is no time to stink.

The tremendous participation of Naga Students of Manipur with emotional support from Mr. Neiphu Rio's Government of Nagaland this time would in no way unaffect the communal unity between Manipuris (don't read Meiteis only) and the Nagas of the state. There is hardly any doubt that it was Naga participation that gave this crisis a truly mass character this time.

Whether or not the withdrawal of the Naga students' demand is made for now, there will always be topics for debate of both the parties in the coming days no matter what the issue might be. For sometime now, not only this state integrity issue, there have always been some uneasiness going on with the whole Naga community and the Meiteis.

It is known to everyone that Muivah feels that Nagalim would be the only way to integrate the Tangkhuls with Naga society. But with the given strong opposition of various tribes within Nagaland, will Muivah or Tangkhuls themselves atleast be able to integrate themselves with rest of the Naga tribes. There had been stories in the past for the futile efforts to resettle Tangkhuls in Nagaland.

NSCN (IM) Chairman Isac Chisi Swu even pressured his own Sema tribesmen to let Tangkhuls settle in Sema villages but unfortunately it too didn't work out. Konyaks- the largest tribe in Nagaland as per 2001 census, in a General Body Meeting held in May this year for the first time expressed their opposition to the demand of Nagalim but instead expressed the need to stay separate.

Whether it is the Konyak of Mon district or the Aos of Mokokchung the real though hidden motive behind this historic crisis is that they have never wanted Tangkhuls to integrate with them. Nevertheless some Tangkhul friends who read this passage may find these facts really hard to swallow. Now take a deep breath and think twice, the answer is in the question itself.

To be or not to be with the Naga tribes in Nagaland is not the question for Tangkhuls here, but the quest for a status-quo to live and survive together in Manipur providing space for everyone is the need of the hour. Perhaps in the long run, it would be better to believe this way as nobody want to hit and got hit.

The Meiteis of Manipur being a highly sensitive species always have fought tooth and nail over the question of Greater Nagaland. Now the mammoth problem is that who is to speak first and who is to listen with heart.

If ethnic groups are still adamant encouraging the present dead-lock then the day of hatred and violence with no love, prosperity, hope and optimism is sure to arrive very soon.

Talking seriously at this point, every one of us no matter what tribe we belong, we must look out for an opportunity to retreat our stand with honour as we have been standing too stubborn for quite sometime now before the internal weakness of our own gameplan would gather a storm, strong enough to force a surrender or make the retreat look like a rout.

If the battle is over, war would still continue and then I wont be having you next yaoshang playing colours with my family and moreover I would be missing to envy that khul gi pakhang whom you would be flirting to make me feel jealous at your next khul haraoba when I would be slipping silently only to see you, escaping the sight of your dear big brother. But atleast for now, all these began to look like a vague romantic dream in later years to come.

Now the dice is on your side, play it or... throw it!!!