India scheming deceitful economic and subduing policies: PREPAK-Pro
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 09 2022: PREPAK (Progressive) has blamed that the Loktak Project and the Ithai Dam for the socio-economic impacts on "Kangleichas" and food sufficiency in Manipur while stating that the legislative assembly "must serve as a democratic temple to discourse on resolving the chronic so cio-political problems created by India".

On the occasion of the outfit's 46th Raising Day on Sunday, chairman Longjam Paliba M said, "We did not start the liberation struggle for the lack of economic development, we as armed insurgents have nothing to say and fret about the paucity of India's developmental activities in Manipur.

We neither demanded the rollback of such activities as well.

However, it is important to know India's deceitful economic and subduing policies which show their intention to perpetuate the colonization of Manipur".

"As the adage goes "The first impression is the last impression", events such as the annexation in 1949, the humiliation of constitutional monarchy with demoted Part-C state, swift repeal of the permit system, and utilization of teensy development funds of about Rs 1 crore in the First Five Year Plan (1951-56) illustrate the premeditated India's anti-Manipuri mind sets.

But most importantly, I must say that their arrogant and expansionist policies had ignited the anti-India armed struggle," Paliba said.

He continued, "Over the course of 28 years from 1951 to 1974 and 1980 to 1985, India had allowed Manipur to utilise around Rs 301 crore from the plan outlay.

It is ludicrous that the cumulative development fund over the period of 28 years was below the yearly monetary loss of about Rs 400 crore in terms of agricultural products due to the submergence of arable fertile lands induced by the Loktak project.

"Even during British rule, it was estimated that Manipur's yearly agricultural surplus was around 25% .

However, since the Ithai barrage inundated around 80000 hectares of fertile arable land, Manipur has been surviving on food import.

In the past, Moirang and its surrounding villages was a prosperous region with a rich culture; however, the project has been contributing to endless economic hardships.

The Loktak project, which began in 1971 just before Manipur was granted illusionary statehood, was designed with a false promise to give every household electrical power.

In the real sense this project aimed to earn huge profitsfor the centre at the expense of Manipur.

It was hastily implemented while there was no responsible government to participate in the initial decision making process which ultimately neglected the socio-economic costs.

Still, the state government could not say anything, let alone decommission it.

In the name of development, it is certain that Delhi agents had started the dependency strategy ahead of time".

Paliba also noted that after the end of Second World War and post British colonial period, the geopolitical and geo-economics position of Manipur was somewhat in turmoil.

Exploiting the situation, the Indian government colonised Manipur in 1949.Imitating the British's policy of divisive Hills and Plain administration, India intentionally misinterpreted the hills insurgency 's anger as against the Meeteis by introducing the polarising clauses in Article 371-C.This is nothing but to reverse our age old assimilated history as to align the unrealistic 'Unity in Diversity' which is the Idea of India.

Yet, there are apprehensions among the Meeteis when it comes to the search for the Naga insurgency solution.

Following the illegal dissolution of the elected people's government of 1948, Delhi inducted Manipur as their political playground and vigorously implemented their neo-colonialist policies in 1949-1971 .

These 22 years is the darkest period, during which the colonial seed of India was planted.

"North East Council (NEC) was founded in 1971 to promote the balanced development of socio-economic conditions in the North-eastern region.

The council was placed under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) with state governors as the only members.

Later, it was upgraded to M-DONOR but remained under the purview of MoHA.

An eccentric system of securitization of development was implemented freely while state governments were side-lined.

Since 1949, Manipur has not been a civil state, but a militarized state.

In any militarized state, an armed revolution occurs naturally.

It is absurd to set up a choice between development and insurgency by putting the cart before the horse" .

Longjam Paliba then said, "The art of lying is essential for becoming an elected Indian leader as one must be able to convince the common people through fudging election manifestos.

Plato and Socrates once said that a perfect and ideal administration requires a "Noble Lie".' This noble lie is followed illogically by the Indian leaders.

Based on the rhetoric of self reliance, the 'Atmanirbhar' policy commends Khadi cloth as nationalistic item whose wearing was once seen as a symbol that compelled the British to retreat from India.

However, it is an irony that almost all of the Indian Tiranga' flags, hoisted recently at every Indian house, were mostly made from Chinese polyester clothes".

"It was almost a debacle trying to establish a Socialist Republic of India using mixed and planned economic policies for 40 years between 1951 and 1991 .

These periods created a wealthy class of politicians and bureaucrats, while the destitute classes were expanded.

As a result, Nehru's popular phrase "the tryst with destiny" became "the tryst with desolation" .

In 1991, India greeted with rousing fanfare the Western colonialist recycled Neoliberal Economic Policy.

Under this neoliberal policy, several profitable and public good units were handed over to a few wealthy Indians.

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