When after four long years, the month long carnival of football rolled into distant Africa, it was but natural for me to consider writing a blog post providing my analysis of the competition. However, I have no intentions of following in the footsteps of the ‘incorruptible’ fourth estate of this country (which I will vilify later), which has completely ignored the plight of more than a million fellow countrymen held to ransom by a handful of protesting Naga groups aided by a limp wristed government. As the Economic Blockade of Manipur completes two months, inflation in the state has attained dizzying proportions creating a situation of scarcity seen only in underdeveloped African countries while the Government, the Main Stream Media (MSM) and the Opposition continue to be mute spectators. Only via First hand accounts can the true extent of the tragedy be gauged.
The situation created by the blockade is not new to the people of Manipur or to the Government. Over the years, the state has seen many such blockades the most notable being the 52 day blockade in 2005. The Indian Government’s strategy during all those incidents was the same as its strategy today. They had no strategy. They just waited for the Nagas to lift the blockade themselves as the locals coped with the hardships. As a result, the people of the state have started accepting this as a part of life. Faced with such hardships, the people of any democratic country would revolt either via the ballot or by other extreme methods, hoping to force a change in the lackadaisical attitude of the rulers. However, the absence of such a reaction from the local populace, stemming from a complete loss of faith in the government, suggests that the alienation of the state is complete. While we continue to play vote bank politics under the guise of involving marginalized sections of the society, the step motherly treatment meted out to marginalized states will ensure that calls for separation will only grow louder.
While the attitude of the government is along expected lines, what is appalling is the virtual black out of this issue by the media. As a country we have enough time to debate the prospects of European and South American countries in a tournament held in South Africa but not a second of airtime is devoted to the hardships faced by our own countrymen. An irrelevant blockade in Gaza draws detailed analysis from the all knowing news anchors but the paralyzed life of Manipuris doesn’t even get a mention on their tickers. While issues of public importance are hardly pursued by the news makers with such enthusiasm as that seen while sensationalizing absurd issues, the blockade hasn’t even received the customary lip service accorded to such issues. Media pressure, in this country, is generally the catalyst which breaks the Government’s inertia of inaction. Unfortunately, media owners choose to use this trigger for all the wrong issues.
The role of the opposition in mature democracies is to generally address the deficiencies in service of the Govt. The opposition needs to raise issues which the government fails to address and then use the media to pressurize the government to act. Unfortunately, the principal opposition today has become more of a reactionary entity. It has left the business of criticizing the performance of the government entirely to the media and has restricted itself to issuing statements on any issue which the media deems worthy of comment. It has failed to set the agenda of discussion and therein lies its failure to become a responsible opposition.
Unless these three key players get their act together, the feeling of alienation will only gain ground in the minds of the people living beyond the Chicken’s Neck. With separatist groups and hostile neighbors waiting for a vulnerable opportunity, India can ill afford such feelings. Unless attempts are made to integrate the Seven Sisters with their more fortunate siblings, the unity of the family will continue to be in danger. The Forgotten People may just choose to remind us of their presence and not necessarily in the most pleasing manner.
The situation created by the blockade is not new to the people of Manipur or to the Government. Over the years, the state has seen many such blockades the most notable being the 52 day blockade in 2005. The Indian Government’s strategy during all those incidents was the same as its strategy today. They had no strategy. They just waited for the Nagas to lift the blockade themselves as the locals coped with the hardships. As a result, the people of the state have started accepting this as a part of life. Faced with such hardships, the people of any democratic country would revolt either via the ballot or by other extreme methods, hoping to force a change in the lackadaisical attitude of the rulers. However, the absence of such a reaction from the local populace, stemming from a complete loss of faith in the government, suggests that the alienation of the state is complete. While we continue to play vote bank politics under the guise of involving marginalized sections of the society, the step motherly treatment meted out to marginalized states will ensure that calls for separation will only grow louder.
While the attitude of the government is along expected lines, what is appalling is the virtual black out of this issue by the media. As a country we have enough time to debate the prospects of European and South American countries in a tournament held in South Africa but not a second of airtime is devoted to the hardships faced by our own countrymen. An irrelevant blockade in Gaza draws detailed analysis from the all knowing news anchors but the paralyzed life of Manipuris doesn’t even get a mention on their tickers. While issues of public importance are hardly pursued by the news makers with such enthusiasm as that seen while sensationalizing absurd issues, the blockade hasn’t even received the customary lip service accorded to such issues. Media pressure, in this country, is generally the catalyst which breaks the Government’s inertia of inaction. Unfortunately, media owners choose to use this trigger for all the wrong issues.
The role of the opposition in mature democracies is to generally address the deficiencies in service of the Govt. The opposition needs to raise issues which the government fails to address and then use the media to pressurize the government to act. Unfortunately, the principal opposition today has become more of a reactionary entity. It has left the business of criticizing the performance of the government entirely to the media and has restricted itself to issuing statements on any issue which the media deems worthy of comment. It has failed to set the agenda of discussion and therein lies its failure to become a responsible opposition.
Unless these three key players get their act together, the feeling of alienation will only gain ground in the minds of the people living beyond the Chicken’s Neck. With separatist groups and hostile neighbors waiting for a vulnerable opportunity, India can ill afford such feelings. Unless attempts are made to integrate the Seven Sisters with their more fortunate siblings, the unity of the family will continue to be in danger. The Forgotten People may just choose to remind us of their presence and not necessarily in the most pleasing manner.
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