Wanted. This is the tag that has been given to convenor of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System, Khomdram Ratan by the State Government. The wanted tag also comes along with a cash award of Rs five lakh to anyone who can give information leading to his arrest. It is another matter that while the wanted tag was being prepared, Khomdram Ratan was addressing the media at the office of the JCILPS rubbishing the photograph. And hereby hangs a tale. The wanted tag was given on the basis of a photograph which showed Ratan along with some others holding the flag of the proscribed UNLF but there remains a number of unanswered questions. Not unexpectedly this particular picture went viral on social media sites and not surprisingly a good number of people have started commenting on it. Suddenly a good number of people seem to have become experts, each giving their own version on whether the photograph is genuine or morphed. The Sangai Express is not an expert to say whether the photograph is morphed or not, but has the State Government taken care to investigate the picture from this angle ? Doubtful it is, for the wanted tag came straight after the said picture started trending on social media sites. Early days yet but there is the uncomfortable feeling that the Government may have acted too soon without verifying facts.
A bit early to say how the JCILPS will respond to the allegations raised by the State Government as well as the wanted tag attached on its convenor. But rest assured the matter will not subside that easily. Remember the announcement of the State Government came in the midst of the hectic campaign demanding that the three Bills passed by the State Assembly on August 31 last year are enacted. Street protests, confrontation between cops and agitators, road blocks not to speak of bandhs were the norm a few days back and the latest development may give an entirely different push to the movement seen in Imphal and the valley areas of Manipur. Difficult to say which way the wind will blow but the distinct feeling that the State Government may have acted in haste without doing its homework cannot be brushed aside that easily. Already MLA Kh Joykishan has given a time frame of 7 days to the State Government to prove the allegations against Ratan and warned that if it fails to do so then he himself (the MLA) will initiate another course of agitation. The coming days surely do not look good for Manipur and her people.
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