(Straight from the Broken-Heart)
Sword Vashum
Historically proven Truth cutting across ages/generations is how intrinsic character of a people in the heat of unfolding circumstances/situations emerges and accordingly pans out to the world around us. For the immediate, worth recalling is how we (political underdogs that we are, in pursuit of our destiny) have conducted ourselves in the recent Manipur assembly elections 2022?? Undoubtedly, it was a challenging development with huge bearing on entire spectrum of our future. Without a doubt, the choice was clearly ours: Either (a) We reposition ourselves on the right side of history-making by conducting ourselves 'fair and square', 'bold and forthright' to wrest what rightfully belongs to us or (b) be ever subjugated to power of manipulation/subterfuge under cover of 'Muscle & Money powers'. The strangest thing so melodramatic as it sounds is the spectacular enactment of 'Quid Pro Qua' wherein political forces that otherwise are poles apart showed up in open display of Bonhomie!!
In the bargain however, the core issue so indelibly emblazoned in the sacrifice of countless innocent lives and tons of innocent blood just got left out in the cold. Of course, left awe-struck are the adversaries at the ingenuity of Naga frontline leaderships projecting themselves as “All-wise, All-knowing and All-powerful” never mind melting away in the heat of insatiable Greed, Name-Chasing, Ego-chasing’! Ever shackled are the people at the grassroots to bear the brunt of their greed, arrogance and pride. The only strength left in us is to keep loud-mouthing, ‘Nagas for Christ’, ‘Nagalim for Christ’ without, however being ever sure of how the Lord Christ takes us to be like!! Now here are the questions crying for answers:
How do we justify converting Manipur Legislative Assembly elections into the “Be-all & End all” of Naga Political issue??? Is this what we call ‘People’s mandate’ for the struggle spanning across a century?? What have you gained by unleashing your entire weight & might on electoral business of Manipur with the world beaming down on all the filths & dirt popularly branded as our best exhibits?? Absolutely nothing except a classic political concoction that only lends credence to how we have been depicted by adversaries. Enough is enough of our Hypocrisy, of our Double-Standards!!
Should the sole political agenda postelection be reduced to chasing/begging for cabinet berth, never mind our civil Constitutional Rights left on the wayside battered/tattered?? How much longer should we remain beggars and at what cost to the younger generations?? What a pity!! Even begging becomes a bone of contention among the Nagas – in the lead, of course, are the Tangkhuls. So much goes for our wisdom/maturity and self-respect!!
What do we tell the younger generations on the why and how big lumps of Hill districts at the foothills are being hacked away and annexed arbitrarily to valley districts right under the nose of our MsP/MsLA? Should we call it act of political benevolence or act of political impotence?? This is no crime to ask for swift return of what belongs to us since sense of humanity is not strong enough to persuade them to part with what does not belong to them. We are guided by the Truth of ‘Do unto others as you would want them do to you’.
What do we tell the younger generations on the why and how Chandel and Tengnaupal were gifted away to whoever with absolutely no stake in our future?? Mind you this is nothing short of political arms and legs getting hacked off from our organic polity with dangerous bearing on the forthcoming delimitation. Every act we enact leads to weakening/ undercutting our strength and by the same token their strength increases! Should we only create situation but run away from holding ourselves accountable for the most unwelcome result thereof?? Please come clean on the why and how? We no longer live in 14th century shackled by the dictum, “The King can do no Wrong”.
What do we tell the younger generations on the why and how a huge backlog of vacancies running into 10000+ reserved for tribals remain vacant/unfilled for years/decades??? Mind you tribal population as per 2011 census has gone up to 45% and therefore Employment quota should have been revised upward accordingly. Far from it, even 33% is simply not honored. But why surprised when our own MP/MsLA remain completely muted?? Educated youth in the thousand running away in sheer desperation in search of greener pasture is no cause for concern to the leaders!!
What do we tell the younger generations on the Why and How, Art. 371(C) remains frozen in cold storage since inception (1972)? Is Manipur government above the constitution? Functional Autonomy of HAC as envisaged under the constitution is literally taken as a pipe dream!! Budget Separation as mandated under the constitution is yet to be operationalized ever since thereby facilitating skewed allocations of budgeted resources (80% for the valley, the remaining 20% for the hills). And yet in our arrogance and haughtiness we consider ourselves true human species among the living!!
Why and how, on earth would the valley with a population of 55% on 9% of the land get 40 legislators as against the hills with a population of 45% on 91% of the land getting 19 legislators under the existing Delimitation which ab-initio defies the very spirit of democratic constitutional laws?? So horribly skewed is the existing Delimitation against the tribals and yet the response from our MsP/MsLA has been ‘Dead Silence’ all these 50 years. This has been singularly the undoing of our existence. It is a repeat of the story of a haughty proud land Lord becoming beggar on his own land. General delimitation is coming soon! Have we set our priority right?? Are we sufficiently geared up for what would be demanded of us in our quest for what belongs to us – never ever eyeing on others shares!!
Beloved brethren, let us stop being Right for the Wrong, as much stop being Wrong for the Right. On this hinges the only hope for a future of HONOR & DIGNITY for the younger generations. Do we grudge handing down that Legacy of HONOR & DIGNITY to our younger generations?? Thanking you all and God bless.
