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Brick Battle - A Game of Toppling

by LAKTI

Of late we have seen scenes created against the ruling Government that is only a few months old.

The scenes created by the main opposition in trying to topple a Govt. is not a new one in the political arena of Manipur. Within the last few years we have seen a lot of hues and cries of the opposition against the Govt. and in addition to that we have also seen the jumping jack nature of the politicians changing their loyalties keeping in view that they get a ministerial berth. Going back only a few years, we have seen how Nipamacha ousted Rishang by changing his loyalty and formed a new party called MSCP which resulted in the formation of his Govt. Then R.B. Koijam along with his 10 loyals, joined the Samata bandwagon and dethroned. Nipamacha from the seat of Chief Minister which was later dissolved on the behest of Naga Ceasfire extension.

It seems that this way of perturbation is going to follow which is very hazardous to the people of Manipur and its socio-economic development. The definition of the role of opposition is not clearly understood by those who are in the opposition. Opposition in a house is the backbone in running a govt. by showing the right paths towards betterment. As in witnessing a football match, the spectators know the best position where the ball is to be put in order to win, the opposition in the house has the same role. The only difference is that, the spectators witnessing the match cannot enter the field while the opposition can jump in and move the ball in the court towards progress. But in Manipur it seems as if opposition are only for the game of toppling because, may be, they have enjoyed the sweetness of being in power.

The recent development in the political scenario is the plan chalked out to ouster Ibobi's ministry. Democratic People's Alliance, the main opposition in the house have started camping for another game of toppling lid by Chandramani. The BJP too, on the other, has been camping in Delhi ever since Ibobi's ministry was sworned in.

Longer the period of time they stay going on camping, longer will be the delay in all the developmental works. The question here is, will the Govt. at the centre pay a hand of attention to DPA? The centre on the other hand is clouded by various issues ranging from cross border terrorism to the outcomes of Gujarat carnage. The Govt. at the centre may not pay attention to DPA as the present Govt. in Manipur is infant and Congress is the main opposition at the centre. The BJP led Govt. in the centre may fear for another heated controversy which it would not want at this present phase of time. And after all, Ibobi has a good support in the house.

The main agendas that the DPA is bringing up are the non-payment of salaries, deteriorating law and order situation, etc. etc. are not new on the soil of Manipur. If looked back seriously these were the problems and issues that have blanketed the people in the opposition who were then running the Govt. Curbing out these problem in few months would be a miracle because it were these for many years there is no Alladin's Genie or a magic wand that will bring back everything to normalcy at once. It will take some good years if a Govt. functions properly and the taste of Ibobi's pie is yet to be tasted.
It is high time now for both the group i.e. the ruling and the opposition worked out everything together instead of creating or declaring brick battle against each other. It is crystal char that more than forty of the present sixty can be blamed for the present situation as they were there circling around the govt. changing their parties. It would be of the same case where one throws a brick into mud and got spatted back. Manipur does not need regular change of Govt. as we change our clothes. the need of the hour is to come up together irrespective of their party is ideologies. They should come up together, hand in hand, and set a vision of Manipur in order to create a better civil society. Otherwise a developed Manipur will remain only as a MIRAGE.

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