By Wangkheimayum Bhupendra Singh
As everywhere else in the world, Manipur had also welcomed 2013 with hopes, dreams and desires for a peaceful, prosperous and more productive year ahead. Though the state had been engulfed by agitations during the last fortnight of 2012, the people had nonetheless accorded a warm welcome to the New Year. The season’s spirit triumphed over the various agitations rocking the state and brought new hopes and desires to the people of the state. We are four days into 2013 and what could be a better time than now to sit for a little retrospection of the past year before we head dive into the New Year. 2012 is gone and there were certain uncalled for and undesirable events during the passing year which could have been diverted with better understanding and thinking on the parts of the concern stakeholders.
The early part of 2012 witnessed the general election to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly giving the people of the state hopes and aspirations. The election culminated with the Congress coming to power with an unprecedented win and Ministers making all the promises for a better and developed society. Towards the middle of the year, there were also several disruptions. Bombs too had been an integral part of 2012 with certain underground outfits attacking Congress workers and candidates in the run up to the February 28 general election. Explosions continued in the later part of the year also with underground outfits attacking security forces with IEDs. Certain other incidents involving security personnel had also captured the common man’s interest and attention during 2012. The state had also witnessed violent agitations in the last part of 2012, which had even threatened the very ethnical fabric of the state. However, 2012 was not all about bombs, agitations and bad law and order situation. During the year the state had also seen its sportspersons like pugilist MC Mary Kom win a Bronze medal at the London Olympics and bodybuilders Arambam Bobby and Pradipkumar winning the Mr World.
Every New Year is welcomed with celebrations, wishes and hopes before we get consumed by our day to day lives until the next New Year come knocking on our doors once again. 2013 was not an exception and we have already welcomed it with our annual dose of celebrations amidst hopes and wishes. However, just four days into 2013 and the state has already witnessed a ransom related murder case involving two state security force personnel and the gruesome murder of another state police personnel already. Since the formation of the new state government last year, the Ministers’ have been voicing their concern over all issues confronting the state and assuring all possible steps in order to consider the issues and bring a changeover. The government is about to complete the first year of its present term and needs to pull up its sleeves and start delivering its promises and assurances, before the general public loses its trust in the government. Both the public and government should be equal partners in bringing the much needed change in the society as both cannot act on their own without the other. A pluralistic society like ours has individuals and separate sets of individuals with diverse aspirations, interests and desires. In such a scenario, it is bound that individualistic desires and interest will sometimes clash and result in undesired and unwanted events. All sections of our society should be able to understand that we cannot allow such incidents to crop up and also ascertain that one’s aspirations and desires don’t infringe upon each other’s interest and create flare ups. Every community and group have their own sets of separate designs for the year ahead; however the only common desire and wish for all individuals, communities and groups could be a peaceful, prosperous and productive 2013. While we can always put the blame on someone else we should also have the audacity to take responsibility of our own actions and its resultant consequences then only can we call ourselves a mature society. Let’s all hope that 2013 ushers in a year of peace, hope and development in the state.