Where has the Government gone?
These days nothing seems to go right for the Secular Progressive Front regime led by Ibobi Okram. Transporters stray off the roads along the Imphal-Moreh route throttling the Indo-Myanmar border trade and snapping road and communication link between Imphal and the border township. Many people are stranded at Imphal and Moreh as a result of the transport strike. Many of the fuel outlets in the city have downed shutters as there has been disruption in the supply. What is worse is that the Chief Minister and his colleagues in the Council of Ministers are finding it hard to tackle the problems.
The Government writ does not run any more along the Dimapur-Moreh stretch of National Highway-39. The much talked about National Highway Protection Force remains a distant dream. That is not all. The frequency of power cut is increasing by the day. There is nothing to be happy about the present situation of delivering potable water. Manipur University is in a shambles. As a matter of fact everything seems to be in a complete chaos.
But the main worry is the worsening fiscal health of the State. Everybody knows that the precarious financial situation is the result of mismanagement by the successive Governments. All the Ministers including the Chief Ministers should be held responsible for the present state of affairs in Manipur.
The Government can hardly take up any development work as it is increasingly finding it very difficult to release salaries of the mammoth Government employees on time. It would seem that the Government has been installed to look after only its employees. Presence of a strong Opposition alliance does not make things easier, although they will not waste any opportunity to hurl invectives against the ruling parties.
Indulging in mudslinging between the ruling and Opposition parties does not fill the stomach of the common people and solve their problems. While prices of essential commodities have soared through the roofs jobs are difficult to find. The present situation in Manipur calls for a Government that has the backbone can deliver the goods and is responsive to the needs of the average Manipuris.
It is surprising that our intellectuals who are supposed to give direction of the governance remain mute spectators to all these misrule and misdeeds. Is it because they are siding with the self proclaimed political leaders? Are they happy with the present state of affairs? Are not they feeling the pinch? They should not remain mute spectators.
Instead of looking at thing from the fringes they should come out and lead the masses to bring a system that is effective and efficient. When the Government of the day is in deep slumber it is responsibility of the intellectuals to open their mouths and do something. Since the Ministers are in air conditioned rooms or moving around with security escorts they will not know the problems a common man faces daily.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express) |
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