From gas to traffic to the National Food Security Act and there are reasons why The Sangai Express has launched these campaigns for all directly affect the daily existence of the common people. After The Sangai Express launched the ‘Wanted : Cooking Gas, Not Laughing Gas’ campaign sometime back, LPG distribution has seen a marked improvement thereby bettering the quality of life of the common people. It was again to make travelling on the roads of Imphal more comfortable that the campaign ‘Traffic Circus : Manipur Style’ was launched and the campaign will continue. Again the reason is the same behind the campaign under the caption, ‘Food Security Act : Scripting Hunger’. All these campaigns have been launched not to take pot shots at the Government or anyone, but to make life easier for the common people, as it has become more and more clear that there are not many who have deemed it fit to raise a voice for the common people. On the other hand there are numerous groups which have sprung up all over the place to impose a bandh or two, call a highway blockade, all under the garb of doing something in the interest of the public. Tough to say how successful the two latest campaigns taken up by The Sangai Express will be but what is encouraging is the fact that the telephone numbers given to the public to respond have been flooded with calls from the readers and the public. A sure shot indication that there are many who share the concern of this paper.
The overwhelming response from the public is encouraging and no efforts will be spared to make the campaigns more powerful and potent. And towards this, the co-operation of the readers is of utmost importance. Call up the numbers given and give inputs on what may be done. Ironic it is but an Act which is there to ensure food security for the people thus identified is today reduced to a bone of contention between the public and the Government. Did the State Government do its homework properly before enacting the Food Security Bill in April this year ? If the ruckus and hue and cry raised is any indication then probably not. Why did the Government go ahead and enact the Bill without doing its homework ? This is a shame. Moreover can the Congress Government really afford this ? Remember the BJP has already started an NFSA campaign across the State and the Assembly election is scheduled in the early part of next year. With the demand for Inner Line Permit System or a Constitutional mechanism to check the large scale influx of non-local people into Manipur still going strong and the hue and cry raised over NFSA and things certainly do not look good for the Government. More than right that adhocism is discarded.
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