It should be more than apparent to all. With election less than 30 days and with the United Naga Council not showing any indication that it will lift the ongoing economic blockade, the two principal political parties, the Congress and the BJP are leaving no stone unturned to gain political mileage out of the situation. So while the BJP has not come out openly to criticise the district creation, it has more than made it clear that the Congress Government has failed to get the highways cleared to allow free movement of goods laden vehicles. The Congress on the other hand has been slamming the BJP, even going to the extent of equating the UNC and the NSCN (IM) with the BJP and this should be more than apparent that they are out to make political capital out of the sufferings of the people. With the two major political parties failing to see eye to eye on such a crucial issue, the situation is just perfect for the UNC to take their own course of decision, never mind the suffering of the people. Let it be very clear that by asking the UNC to lift the economic blockade, one is not in any way endorsing the decision of the State Government to create the seven new districts. This is a point which should be clear to the UNC and the people they claim to represent, the Nagas of Manipur. As things stand today, the blockade will continue and the UNC has already made its stand clear to all.
Will prolonging the blockade make things any different ? Will calling off the blockade at this stage mean that the UNC no longer opposes the decision of the State Government to create the seven new districts ? This is a question which the UNC should ask themselves. What more do they want to say ? In opposing the decision of the State Government, what the blockade has done is punch the people under the belt and this is something which no one can deny. Is this what the UNC want to deliver ? Make the people suffer, because they are against the decision of the State Government ? Sense should prevail. The blockade has gone on long enough and the UNC has already delivered its point. A look at the reality should tell its own story. Whatever the UNC may say, the debate today is not over the creation of the new districts but the ongoing blockade. There is no debate as such on the merits and demerits of creating the new districts and the ongoing economic blockade may be said to be primarily responsible for this. Or is this what the UNC wants ? Given that election is just round the corner, one can understand the silence of the other political parties on this question, but at least there can be some debates amongst the civil society organisations. That this has not happened for everyone is more concerned with the ongoing blockade should say something significant.
Source: The Sangai Express
