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Front Page >> Editorials > Story

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The Last 52 Days
After 52 days of crippling economic blockade the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur has finally decided to call off its agitation, ostensibly after the Centre intervened. The last 52 days have opened our eyes to many hitherto unstated characteristics of the people of Manipur. The resilience demonstrated by the people was something note worthy and it will make an interesting topic for research students to conduct a sociological study on this point.

What are the factors that have made the people of Manipur so resilient that they managed to cope with the situation without kicking up a storm? Is it the outcome of the culture of taking everything quietly without registering any complaint or is it dictated by the political and social need of the time? Or is it because the people of Manipur are today immune to such inconveniences as they have experienced years of bandhs, blockades and general strikes or is it because the need of the people are minimal that the blockade failed to hit them where it hurts ? Or is it because the people of Manipur have been hardened by the years of Governmental neglect which translates into erratic power supply, no provisions of drinking water, bad roads, bad communications, in fact nothing to suggest that there is a Government in place ?

The probable factors are many, but we will not be going too far if we say that the real victor in the face off between the Government and ANSAM has been the people. It is not ANSAM which has won the battle nor the Government nor the Chief Minister but the people who showed to all those who matter that it will take much more than an economic blockade to cripple their spirit and it is this that all should acknowledge.

One face of the Government also appeared during the 52 days economic blockade and that is significant progress can be made if the Government and its official babus are sincere enough about doing a job. The manner in which the Irang Bridge was opened to traffic after a few days it was dismantled on NH-53 goes to prove that if the Government is sincere and shows its willingness to do something, it can do it. The manner in which NH-53 was opened to traffic after 7/8 years of Government neglect is another standing example of what the Government can do if it really sets its eyes on doing something.

Looking back, all those talks of problems faced to develop this route now appear like some juvenile lies to cover up the failings of the Government to do the needful. The character of New Delhi also became that much clearer during the last 52 days. The air lifting of essential goods by Indian Air Force planes was a classic example of the propaganda stunt adopted by the Centre to show to the world that it is doing something for the beleaguered people of Manipur. Forty tonnes for 2.4 million people was something like a poor joke played on the people.

Now that ANSAM has called off or suspended its economic blockade, the Government and the people need to look to the future. One lesson that should not be forgotten from the economic blockade is the plain fact that Manipur can no longer rely on only one route to connect with the rest of the world. Continue the developmental work along NH-53, blockade or no blockade. The Chief Minister and his Ministerial colleagues should not relax and confine NH-53 to history but ensure that the developmental works are taken up on a war footing without any hitch.

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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