No cause can justify the blockading of lifelines of the masses. It is simply uncivilized and unacceptable. However, while not justifying those who called for blockades to protest the acts of an inequitable government, the villainy of imposing a blockade for no plausible reason other than getting back at those who had imposed such blockades earlier on might just be greater. The UCM desirably should not promote such divisively vengeful endeavors if it claims to represent the interest of the people of the state as a whole. It cannot be found indulging in ethnically confrontational acts while preaching unity and integrity of the people of Manipur, unless, of course, its only concern is over the territorial integrity of the state, where the people in certain parts of the territory are seen more like infestations to rid the land of, than people having equal and legitimate rights and the freedom to protect those rights.
The Tribal People's Forum, Manipur, protested against the government's inaction on activists who repeatedly threatened and carry out violent attacks on vehicle owners plying the NH 39, perhaps rightly and well within their rights. Truck owners who voluntarily avoid the highway are also within their rights, but that does not give them or anybody else the right to restrain others from using that highway, just like the UNC or ANSAM does not have the right to block the highway. Sensible analogy therefore demands that the action of UCM and its follower organizations to restrain people from using NH 39 should also be declared unlawful like the action of UNC and its fraternal organizations was, in enforcing the blockade. The law must be equal for everyone, whether living in the valley or the hills.
The government's sense of public wrongs done seems to have blurred now that the parties causing needless scarcity in the state have changed. That the prolonged situation of scarcity is in the interest of black-marketers and hoarders is common knowledge. Given this, the inaction of the government and its tolerance of the organizations responsible for the continued situation of shortage in the state suggest a possible collusion between the government, the organizations imposing the restraint and black market forces. The government must come clean on this and towards that, it must initiate appropriate steps to end the avoidable scarcity and spiraling prices witnessed in the state since mid May 2010.
The opposition in the state assembly should also not limit themselves to raising issues involving past abuses by the government of its people-mandated power, but upgrade themselves to shake the government out of its slumber, or misguided actions/inactions on issues of current public importance. A responsible opposition cannot afford to remain mute on the gross inefficiency and bias displayed by the government on current matters and policies. In fact, past mistakes of the government can be effectively checked in the committees, and the sessions of the assembly should be gainfully utilized by the opposition to quiz the government on important issues of the day and policies for the future.
