What is the purpose of having the IMC's Work Development Committee members
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: July 27 2011 -

In a departure from earlier times, the Imphal Municipal Council has in its current form four 'Work Development Council Members' each in every one of the 27 IMC Wards. Two of these members are to be elected and another two are to be appointed by the government.

The ostensible reason we were led to believe was that these four 'Work Development Council Members' were to serve as a counter check against poor performance, lack of performance, or to prevent wrong doings of the IMC.

In other words they are meant to be watch dogs against the non performance or excessive acts of the IMC. The WDC members were also expected to set up their own office, so as not to be a regular part of the IMC.

We must remind ourselves that half of the WDC members are elected, however, in a curious turn of events the government has so far not sworn in the duly elected or have duly appointed the WDC members as required.

The irritating question now is, how can a duly elected representative of the public be not accorded his due office, and who has been the power to deny them their legitimate status and authority? Since crores were spent by the exchequer in conducting the IMC polls, the question could now arise, why did the government go the distance of electing dummies?

The present situation is, the government is yet to announce its appointment of the other half of the WDC. And meanwhile the elected members have threatened to return their certificates of election.

All this brings back a déjà vu of sinking into an old and familiar political quicksand. The unpleasant news have been provided by non other than the President of the WDC Khumbongmayum Gambhir singh and its General Secretary, Tourangbam Indrajit Singh aka Boy.

The unfairness of the government, fuelled by its unbearable inaction, if not explained forthright will tantamount to criminal negligence. Those in power, instead of being pompous and arrogant, should realize it stands on an ephemeral base, and there is nothing to be taken for sure.

There used to be a joke in the 90s in England, which went 'Let us all believe in magic, let us all vote and watch this government disappear after the next election'. Nothing can ever be taken for granted in politics, at best it creates strange bedfellows.

Take heed friends, your misdeeds are being counted. And the boss of the state should know how to look at the looking glass of political reality, taking care that his cahoots don't blacken the mirror.

But to ask the government again, how can it prevent, delay or hamper the swearing in of people who have been elected on popular franchise. This defies logic and is disdainfully tasteless and bland.

We the people, have now to put the government in the dock to make it explain its monkey business. Deception cannot work over time. Man or worm, when your time is up, your time is up.