Two recent
developments, unrelated, but which could
have far reaching impact on the State have
reared its head and the sooner the Congress
led SPF Government realizes the gravity of
the situation the better it would be for
everyone. The first is the ongoing
indefinite economic blockade imposed by the
All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur on the
two National Highways and the other was the
ultimatum issued by the Naga People's
Organization that they would stop all rice
laden trucks from heading towards Imphal.
Both sides have their own reasons for coming
out with such radical steps. While the
student body has taken recourse to the
economic blockade to protest the failure of
the State Government to implement its
earlier assurances, the NPO announced its
decision to take recourse to such a step to
protest the 30 pc deduction of rice meant
for the hill people by some armed
organizations. Economic blockade not only
economically cripples the economy of the
people but also has the potential to sow
seeds of distrust and animosity between the
different communities living in Manipur.
However much we are against the imposition
of economic blockade, we cannot help but
state that the demands of ATSUM are
justified in every sense of the word. We all
know how education has been abused and
neglected for years in the hill districts.
The demand of the student body to improve
the infrastructure of the schools in the
hill districts is not a recent demand and if
the Government has any political will then
surely something can be done to better the
lot of the schools in the hill districts.
Majority of the structures which pass off as
schools in the hill districts are at best
decrepit buildings with no proper class
rooms and desks and benches. Most of the
teachers posted in the hill districts do not
report for duty at all.
Education is the mantra for development in
this modern age and when the Government
fails to address this issue to the
satisfaction of the people, then surely we
cannot expect the affected people to remain
quiet. It has also become clear that there
is a need to establish a separate cell in
the Education Department to deal with the
education system in the hill districts as
the present arrangement has not worked. It
is precisely for this very reason why ATSUM
has raised the demand for a Directorate of
Education for the hills to be headed by a
Joint Director. This arrangement may take
time for the Government to fulfill, but a
beginning has to be made. However till date
there is no sign that the Government has
taken up any steps towards this end.
Chief Minister O Ibobi and his Council of
Ministers have absolutely no right to
overlook the genuine demands and grievances
of ATSUM and all possible steps should be
taken up to ensure that education does not
suffer in the hill districts. The decision
of NPO to forbid all rice laden vehicles to
proceed to Imphal is a dicey matter. The NPO
may rightly feel that no underground
organizations have the right to siphon off
rice meant for the people.
However just
blaming militant groups of any particular
community is not the answer. Extortion,
imposition of taxes, percentage cuts from
salaries of Government employees and from
contract works is a norm that has been
adopted by all the armed groups in Manipur
and though NPO needs to be acknowledged for
taking up a brave stand, it should also be
kept in mind that it will not improve the
situation by stopping rice transportation to
Imphal. The situation is delicate and calls
for a more balanced approach. |
