By Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh
The Chief Minister of Manipur had recently announced that the law and order situation in the State is not ready for the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 to be removed. As reported by various local dailies the Chief Minister had made the announcement during a recent function. He may have a point in making the statement. Everyone is aware of the present law and order situation in the State. Bombs are exploding in the state like never before with the most recent being the blast at the Sangai Tourism festival gate at Hafta Kangjeibung on November 30 killing a rickshaw puller who was also reported to be the carrier of the bomb and injuring other persons. The State in the recent past has seen an upsurge of bomb blasts and violent activities. The Sangai festival blast, Chingamathak blast, the Diwali blast at Thangal Bazar, Sangakpham blast, the ADC office blast, the recent attack on the life of education minister DD Thaisii all would help the Chief Minister in justifying his statement that the state is not ready for the total repeal of the AFSPA, 1958. It is for everyone to see that the present law and order situation in the state is not good.
It is also for everyone to guess that the CM’s statement came in light of the recent blast at Sangai festival gate just three days ahead of the Prime Ministers’ visit to the state and just a few metres away from one of the mega structures which the Prime Minister had inaugurated during his visit to the state on December 3. However the main concern is that the Chief Minister as well as making such statements should also consider the fact that the bomb exploded in the first place due to the laxity of the government and its agencies. A bomb explosion in the heart of the State, just three days ahead of the PM’s visit and that too just a few meters away from a building which the PM is supposed to inaugurate can only be interpreted as due to the laxity of the government and its agencies. The people of the state also understand that the present upsurge in violent activities in the State should be stopped at once and for that the government should use it’s machineries to their full potential and ensure that the people of the State can have a good nights’ sleep without much disturbances. Maintaining law and order in the State would always remain the main prerogative of a State and enabling the State to do so should be the main concern of the general public. Maintaining this maxim would only ensure that the State is moving towards the right direction towards development.
Both the state and the general public should not kill each other’s inspiration. The State should consider that to bring development in the state, peace is of utmost importance and the ways of the government should always be dictated by a strong desire to provide a strong security blanket over its general public and secure them from any untoward violence. The general public in return should be able to relate to the State and its ways, which doesn’t mean that they should follow the State blindly, but it should have the courage to mend any aimless ways of the State and at the same time provide the State with its own space to work and use its machineries to get the desired result. The concern to bring peace into the State should be for both the general public and the State.