Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Manipur Bhavans: Whose are these for, anyway?

Leichombam Kullajit *


It's quite dramatic to learn among few of us who have been living in Delhi for sometimes now. It is true in the fact that a Bhavan is like a home away home, which anyone from their respective states can lodge at least for few days to refresh themselves of their long journey.

That's why every Bhavan in Delhi of different States or Union Territories have put their best efforts to keep them alive and extravagances are made to welcome everyone without distinction. Moreover, every Bhavan try to man their own people when it comes of any sort of requirements.

But, unfortunately, and contrary to popular belief, the two Manipur Bhavans in New Delhi always try to distinct themselves from their neighbouring Bhavans.

How? Well - listen,
a) Of the around 77 members/staffs of the two Bhavans, there is little as many as 7 members of their own State - Manipur. It means that ninety per cent of the total staffs are non-Manipuri in their own homes. Then who controls it? All are non-resident member staffs.

Mr. Rakesh is the Principal Resident Commissioner of Manipur houses in Delhi, who was known for his effort on the destabilisation of Manipur by bringing - the cease-fire agreement treaty between NSCN (IM) and GOI without territorial limit in 2001 that led to killing 18 people by the Security forces during his tenure as Chief Secretary of Manipur, there was President Rule in the State.

It was during his time that abnormal growth of population was figured in Manipur in 2001 census and the consequent result now we have to get is - three Assembly constituencies from the Valley will go to the Hills by increasing to 23 assembly constituencies in the hills.

He is also known for being tried to mislead the Chief Minister of Manipur as well as the people of Manipur which he along with his fellow non-Manipuri staffs quietly tried to lease out a peace of land in Gurgoan (near Delhi border) meant for Manipur Institute of Performing Arts, Government of Manipur to some "known" companies last few months back.

Of course, there, a couple of weeks back, was a Manipuri, Second-in-Command, but somehow he was also removed.

b) Manipur, even though it is small in geographical size and populations, has around five lakhs un-employed youths. And over the last couple of years, the State government has given instruction not to recruit any posts in different departments, except Police department or State Security forces, due to some financial constraint or whatever may be the reason.

But our alien Manipur Bhavans in Delhi are recruiting people every few month or so. I don't know whether they have given any sort of recruitment/appointment notices to Imphal based newspapers, but they are doing so in Delhi's papers.

Few months back, one "gynaecologist" doctor was recruited as a Medical Officer of Manipur Bhavan for signing Medical Reimbursement papers of the Bhavan Staffs and again just a few days back four persons were interviewed for different posts - all are non Manipuris.

c) Manipuri language is a state language, but there is no one out here who can speak the language, barring few non-resident Manipuri staffs but also in private talk.

It is really a shameful structure for the Government of Manipur that the Manipur Bhavans in the Capital Delhi has become purely a Non-Manipuri Bhavan, where a Manipuri can't communicate to its Staff in their language - Manipuri, which is also one of the recognised scheduled languages of India.

Now, the question arises. Do we need another reservation to our own home? Is this Bhavan for Manipuris of non-Manipuris? In whose interest, the Bhavan Staffs are working?

It has also become apparent to everyone that a mere Non-Manipuri Grade III employee is more powerful than a Class I Manipuri Officer in the Manipur Bhavan, New Delhi. Manipur Bhavan, Delhi is the most important department that is doing liaison works between the Manipur Government and the Central Government.

Given the present circumstances, how far these non-Manipuri staffs that are never interested in Manipur or landed in Manipur are fit to answer those questions?

The State Government should act accordingly and be given preference more its own citizen. Be like Maya in UP.


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* Leichombam Kullajit, working in a Publishing House in Delhi, contributes for the first time to e-pao.net. The writer can be contacted at kullajit(dot)leichombam(at)gmail(dot)com. This article was webcasted on 09th October 2007.

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