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Editorials
Significant Months
January, August and now October have become ‘significant’ months to the people of Manipur. To these months we may also add June. For the past many years, January 26 or rather Republic Day has come to mean a day of boycott and general strike called by the underground outfits in to dissuade the people from participating in the Republic Day celebration of the Indian Union. The same is the case with August when August 15 or Independence Day has come to mean deserted streets and heavy security bandobast everywhere. 

October 15 this year was unique in the sense that it was for the first time rallies were organized all over the place to denounce the Manipur Merger Agreement with India on this date in 1949. And of course thanks to the decision of the Central Government to extend the NSCN (IM) cease fire to Manipur on June 14, 2001, the month of June has become another landmark month to every blue blooded Manipuri. The mass uprising of the people which was captured live on camera and beamed to each and every household by the private local channels on June 18 last year to protest the cease fire extension and the storming and burning down of the Assembly complex and numerous political party offices are still fresh in the minds of the people. 

Whichever political ideologies one may profess and cling to, one common thread running through all these land mark dates is the growing disenchantment with New Delhi and the system of governance prevailing here. Manipur came under the Indian Union on October 15, 1949 and perhaps it would be worthwhile to look back and study the direction the State has taken during the past 53 years. Leaving aside the contention over the validity of the Merger Agreement signed by Maharaj Bodhachandra at Shillong on September 21, 1949, it would be worthwhile for all to study the Manipur during the last 53 years. 

From October 15, 1949 to October 15, 2002 what has been happening here? Economic stagnation, unemployment, corruption, stark disparities between the haves and have nots, political instability and deteriorating law and order situation have been the hall mark of Manipur down the years and to add to this is the apprehension that the territorial integrity of Manipur may be compromised any moment by the Center to settle a political problem or two and we have the perfect recipe for a disaster known as Manipur. Where did we go wrong or more specifically where did Delhi go wrong? This is the question that the political leadership of the land should start addressing on a priority basis. 

Has development taken a back seat because of the militancy problems or did militancy come about because of the acute lack of development? Definitely there will be no easy and ready answer to this but we may add that the problem is compounded by the presence of insensitive Governments at New Delhi down the years and the lack of political sincerity among the political class of Manipur. The problems besetting Manipur may be varied but there is no problem that cannot be solved provided there is the will and the first step should be to acknowledge that the people of Manipur may have something to be genuinely disillusioned with the authority.                                                                

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express) 

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