By T Gougin
In the interest of younger generation ad more so for those blind politicians, I hereby attempt o highlight something about Manipur, the so called Sanaleibak by the aged people long time back. As per Hinduism Year Book edited by SC Sarkar in the 27th Year issue, Manipur area is 8,629 sq miles and population was 5,77,635, literacy percentage 11.41, density of population 67 per sq miles. But now it is almost double.
I remembered Captain PB Singh was the first and last Chief Minister under the regime of Sir Churachand Singh, the Maharaja of Manipur. Later on, late Pu Koireng Singh was the first pilot of Manipur who became the first Chief Minister of Manipur.
As time and tide rolled by Manipur administration changed as per the tempo of political moorings in the whole of India. I remembered a retired army major Sunderam who was the lone Deputy Commissioner ruled over the entire Manipur. I got interview before him with my discharge certificate and with Indian army special class certificate equivalent to All India matriculation. He appointed me as a LDC for the newly established Tribal Development Office headed by N Modoli Mao Naga as Tribal De3velopmetn Officer. During my tenure as Clerk in TDO’s office, I could include Zou in the All India Scheduled Tribe list numbering 29th in the list.
I entered politics and contested Assembly election in 1974 and become a Deputy Minister with Independent Charge. To my credit and during my tenure the Co- Operative Bank in Churachandpur and High School at Singhat was established and played a pivotal role in Khuga Multi-Purpose project.
Today, Manipur is trailing behind all States within the Indian Union. There is nothing new to see in Imphal town, nor is there any promotion for the city. Manipur has a University that could not even produce a Central Service Cadre say IAS, IPS. The former Governors like BK Nehru and LP Singh never allowed the size of Ministry to be more than 15 but now we have 34 Minister, two Speaker and Hill Area Chairman. The resultant product is that the governed are snoring high in the bliss of ignorance. Nothing more nothing less!
The present Ministry headed by O. Ibobi Singh frequently visited New Delhi asking money for the State that bored the Centre leaders. It seems that the State Government forgot the saying, ‘Cut your coat according to the cloth’. It appears that the resources of the State is exhausted resulting in non clearance of public dues within stipulated times especially to contractors.
Hill House Tax enchantment Bill from Rs 3 to Rs 10 was mooted during our time 1974-79 for which I spearheaded to reduce it to Rs 6/- and passed unanimously. But now Hill House Tax has been enhanced to Rs 15 for which no hill MLA dare to argue and thus passed the Bill without enhancing the income of poor tribals.
The next potent has before the Government is to enhance the status of Churachandpur district named after the late Churachand Maharaja having 6 MLAs, the biggest in Manipur Hills. Now, all roads in the district have become rotten for which their representatives (MLAs) dare not to point out genuine issues. Water supply, power supply, road repairing etc have become the forlorn hope of the governed, the tax payers.
The Government institutions like schools, hospital have come a distant dream of the people. The SDC Centre at Sangaikot and PWD road linked upto Khuanghai village during my tenure is another great setback for the affected people who are still deprived of sharing their birth rights until now as successive Government failed to take up follow up action.
The Government institutions like schools, hospital have become a distant dream of the people. The SDC Centre at Sangaikot and PWD road linked upto Khuanghai village during my tenure is another great setback for the affected people who are still deprived of sharing their birth rights until now as successive Government failed to take up follow up action All these potent issues mentioned above deserves serious attention of the Government failed to take up follow up action.
All these potent issues mentioned above deserve serious attention of the Government through the concerned representatives of the area. The present head of the Government O Ibobi Singh must take follow-up action strictly in the interest of equity and justice, lest in due course of time unseen power may take action upon the Government, we fear. The CM must take serious action against the concerned MLA of the affected areas mentioned above, if not, unseen power may take vengeance, we fear so. Are we the tax payers deprived of facilities from the Government? We fear almighty God will take vengeance in due course of time on those tardy representatives.
If Ukhrul can have CM in Manipur, why not Churachandpur named after a Manipur Maharaja?
How to mend the wrongs in Manipur?
Manipur is in a sorry state of affairs simply because the public opinion is dull – no worth calling public opinion is flashed in the daily or weekly papers. This is the first drawback of the governed but in reality the public is the master in a democratic form of Government. The Government who rule upon the people is equally drowsy in that they do not care to sharpen public opinion obviously because they cannot enjoy the booty of the State.
In well-ordered State, public opinion is very sharp, the main engine that helped to move Government machineries. For this, newspapers play the main role to sharpen public opinion Napoleon Bonaparte fear newspaper more than a battalion of the army whereas in India and particularly in Manipur State, public opinion is very dull like something like toilet papers so is the Government today. If we like to enjoy the fruits of genuine democracy we must first sharpen public opinion then the task is half done. Churachandpur claims leadership in Manipur, the earlier the better.
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