Passing the buck. This is what the Congress and the BJP are apparently doing and while both sides have their own points to deliver, it is disturbing to note that while the two principal political parties are busy trading charges and counter charges, not much seem to have been done at the ground reality to address the issue at hand. This is not a joke. Manipur has remained cut off from the rest of the country since midnight of October 31 last year and this in effect means that Manipur has been leading an insulated existence for over 60 days. The long queues in front of all petrol pumps should underline the point that is sought to be made here. Overnight serpentine queues outside petrol pumps for well over 60 days, prices of essential commodities sky rocketing, and even movement of people from one place to the other severely hampered and one can just imagine how the people have been coping with the situation. And the natural question that follows is what has the State Government under the Congress done to address the issue ? What has the BJP, which is in a political dialogue with the NSCN (IM) and heading the Government at Delhi, done ? Not much, if one looks at the reality. With the State poised to go in for election any time, it is not surprising to see the two major political parties in the State and the country trying to take maximum mileage out of the situation, but remember one here is talking about the suffering of the people and taking political mileage out of the woes of the people cannot be accepted under any circumstance.
There is as yet no indication that the United Naga Council will call off the blockade any day soon and with the two major political parties seemingly not working together to work out a solution, the suffering of the people will continue. This is what is unacceptable. The time calls for all political parties, cutting across ideologies, to come together, study the situation and see how best to go forward, for it is all about the people. It is also important for the people to maintain calm and not make things more complicated. This is where everyone need to study how the economic blockade has morphed from stopping the passage of goods laden trucks to disrupting the free movement of passenger vehicles. So from a blockade imposed against the decision of the Government, today it has been identified as a blockade aimed against the group of people living in the valley area and vice versa. This is what is dangerous and this is where people need to be on the alert not to give any room to trouble makers to hog the limelight. Delhi and Imphal should act. The people on either side of the district creation should learn not give any communal interpretation to the ongoing blockade and the United Naga Council should acknowledge the fact that they have already made their point and it makes no sense to subject the people to more sufferings.
Source: The Sangai Express
