The ALTOS, operators of taxi service between the two most important towns in the state, giving ultimatum to the Imphal-CCpur Line Bus Operators, Civil Bodies threatening candidates contesting the ADC polls, a state highway rendered unusable, a government scrambling for essential commodities and the people paying skyrocketing prices for items of daily use hardly reflect a capable leadership in the government of a state. True, that Bus operators and Wingers operators are private entities with private commercial operations. But it is the role of the government to ensure some form of order to prevent the clash between these public transport operators deteriorating into a situation of inconvenience for the public at large. The government should also
regulate the fares charged by these operators so that the public is not looted. While the two bodies can operate with equal rights and the public can choose the better service provider, any monopolistic highhandedness by either party should be checked by the government. Much as the ALTOS can operate without any bullying by the line Bus operators if the government permits, the line Bus operators cannot be prevented from entering Churachandpur by the former if there is any government authority in the state.

On the issue of threats being served to candidates of the ADC elections in Ukhrul district, while the civil
bodies will be guilty of taking the law into their own hands if they carry out such threats, the government
must take responsibility for any untoward outcome. A responsible government should not create a situation of civil unrest willfully. The imposition of the ADC polls on the unwilling tribals of the state has
created a division within the tribal communities between opportunistic aspirants to the elected positions
and the thinking public who rejected the crippled ADCs. Having generated such an undesirable
situation, the government must now ensure the safety of these candidates who have been marked
by public ire.

Is the government only of the majority or of the people? It is true that the government enjoys majority
support in the state assembly. But does that mandate give the government unstinted powers to ride roughshod over the peoples’ expressed opposition to its policies and actions? Nay! Especially when a question such as the administration of Hill Tribal districts in the state is concerned, the fact that 40 seats are represented by the dominant community in the state Assembly of 60 members should disqualify the sheer strength of majority votes as mandating government policies. It is another matter that some among the Hill representatives have been bought off to support an anti-tribal and anti- Hill programmed of the government. The crux of the tribal aspirations is evident in the month long blockade of the state’s lifeline, NH 39 to register the tribal disillusion with the MHAADC Act, 1971 (Third Amendment) and its non-empowering provisions. While the blockade may not be the most democratic and legitimate method of registering public anger, it is a sort of the proverbial last straw for a sinking public will in the government’s orchestrated whirlpool of political management. The responsibility for the hardships consequent upon the blockade, therefore, should go to the establishment since its adamant
imposition of an unwanted policy on the tribals is at the root of the blockade call.

While the effectiveness of the blockade being affected on the highways is understandable, considering
the long stretch routed through jungles, the effective blockading of hill areas-bound vehicles, loaded with food items, right in the middle of Imphal suggests either absence of government or a collusive government siding with the valley people.

When the state of politics is such that serving Ministers in the government can go scot free with sectarian/
communal public speeches exhorting a community against other communities in the state, it is no wonder that the state is on the boil. Chief Minister Ibobi needs to prove his good intent to the tribal population in the state by shedding the political pride of being the majority leader in the Assembly and learning to address the true aspirations of the communities with numerical disadvantage.

A good start in this direction can be made with sacking the ethno-communal elements from his cabinet, declaring a time-bound schedule for implementation of Sixth Schedule provisions in the tribal districts and Sadar Hills, declaring a time-bound schedule for making Sadar Hills a full-fledged district, and taking a firm hold of governance in the state by reclaiming the moral authority which his government has completely lost.