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Front Page >> Editorials > Story

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Statehood Questions
Manipur attained Statehood on January 21, 1972 and down the years, the significance of this day has been gradually given the short shrift and in many ways this is surprising given the fact that Statehood was not gifted on a platter but had to be won after much toil and sweat. At which point of the time did the significance of this day begin to wane and why, is the question that ought to be asked now. 

Why is Statehood Day such a low key affair with not the slightest participation from the people and the event itself being reduced to just a date on the annual calendar? If we remember correctly, Statehood was granted with the stated objective of helping Manipur catch up with other States of the Indian Union, but that this has not happened is there for all to see. It is now thirty one years down the line, since Manipur became a full fledged State as part of the Indian Union, and the question before us all is, how much stride has the State made all these years? 

Has attaining Statehood done anything positive for the people of Manipur or has Statehood been reduced to a symbolic status within the Indian Union, with not an iota of benefits reaching the people who deserve it the most? In his address to the people, Governor Ved Marwah said that Manipur has made rapid strides ever since it attained Statehood, but the Governor also noted with equal concern that the "stark reality of poverty and large scale unemployment cannot be over looked." 

We are inclined to agree with the observation of the Governor, but the question is, is the progress Manipur made from 1972 an inevitable thing, a part of the global phenomena, or did it happen because it attained Statehood? If Statehood was not granted in 1972 then would Manipur have been in a less fortunate position?

We really do not have any comprehensive answer to any of these questions, but one point that cannot be missed to any discerning eyes is the fact that Manipur has not progressed at the desired pace and this brings us to the question of who should be held responsible. Again here, we do not have any satisfactory answer, but we can say with a certain sense of conviction that to the people of Manipur, Statehood day has no particular significance and the answer is not far to seek. 

If Manipur has made significant progress during the last 31 years, the problems besetting the people too have compounded down these years. True, most of the people of Manipur today may not have to worry about where the next meal is going to come from, but it is also equally true that no one knows whether one would be able to return home safely after attending to one's duty for the day. The problems before us are myriad today and the most unfortunate part is there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. 

From the acute financial crisis, to the complete absence of governance to the absence of the rule of law and the endemic corruption which has eaten into the vitals of the Government machinery and there is nothing much to say that we have achieved anything positive since attaining Statehood. We are not saying these issues were not present in 1972 or before that but the point is far from addressing these issues satisfactorily; problems have taken a turn for the worse during the last 31 years. And this brings us back to the question, who should be held responsible for this?

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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