Vote for Change: A Rock Event—For Those Who Want to Give Change a Chance!

How long can you endure the bullshit that lies at your shumaang? Would you wait for it to become dry or simply wait to be eaten up by worms further spoiling the shumaang? Would you ask your neighbour to clean it up for you? Or would you personally shovel it away to a nearby khongbaan? If you belong to the fourth guild, maybe you are among the sensible Manipuris who at least dream of seeing a better Manipur—one such Mani-pur where callous politicians do not indulge in mindless political tricks, one such Manipur where there is no unwanted chaos or social unrest, where economic blockade becomes history and price rise is a gone case. Sounds pretty enticing, right? But to turn it into action, we need to get involved and start fighting from the scratch—don’t you think so?

For many, I know that it would sound boring (not challenging) and the obvious ‘oiroidaba, kaanaroidaba’ reactions may strike the chord of most of their unused brains. That is very natural. Cynicism has always been an achievement amongst us. We are very much prone to negativism. But if you dare (yes I said DARE) to break that cocoon of cynicism and at least lend a helping hand to reconstruct and reform our society, trust me you would forever feel proud to tag yourself a Manipuri. A change is desperately sought in our State. If this change doesn’t happen, let us happily share a ‘paangdaba’ as a suffix or prefix with our names. Let us also sell our self-respect and morale at the keithel at a price much cheaper than onion or potatoes. If we want to win the battle, we have to fight at the cost of anything. Superheroes are mythological, they suit better only in comics and will never ever turn up to fight on our behalf. Let us get real, let us get acquainted with the issues and find means to let the wind of change blow in Kangleipaak.

If you are still cynical and not yet ready for this change, you need not waste your time reading this article to the end. Give up, and tag yourself a loser and go to hell. For those who believe in change and are ready to be a meaningful part of it let us share this affinity, find means to connect one another and YES, voice our grievances together. Enough is enough! Let us stop being a prey of mindless politics, let us also stop playing the blame-games. Let us together sow the seed of ‘Change’ for a better Manipur.

The Assembly Elections 2012 is knocking on the door. It is a decisive time when we will get the opportunity to make our representatives accountable for the nature of our collective life that we lead in Manipur. It is the right time to raise our voices to fight for our well being and dignity. It is the right time to spread awareness in our families, leikais and kendras, and not to get carried away by the buttered talks of candidates or political parties—not to buy their votes and not to support proxy voting. Our issues should also be their issues, if not then they should not contest for the elections. I know it sounds challenging to generate awareness amongst the hoi polloi. But need we worry when there are various means to do so? Music is a lingua franca that connects all of us across the world. Why not use it as a principle means to sow the seed of change in our State? We have a good taste of music. Why don’t we fine-tune this taste and spread awareness amongst ourselves to bring a change in our society? In Manipur, for all these years, rock music has always been misconstrued and tagged with drug and sex. Let us evolve ourselves from that mentality. Let it be rock, let it be pop, let it be any genre—why don’t we make music a common thread to connect and reconnect with one another?

Vote for Change: A rock concert is on its way this 10th November. If you think it’s just another musical concert, you are hopelessly WRONG. Starting with this event, if we make the most of concerts like this, themed on a common cause, the push-button to take our common cause to the next level is as easy as learning ABC. Phoenix, Brothers featuring Jagdish, Fringes, The Dirty Strike, The Wishess featuring Basav Dutta etc are the performing bands of this musical solidarity show.

If you abhor violence, if you detest bomb blasts and killing of innocents, if you hate callous politics and economic blockades in the State—SPEAK OUT, BE A PART OF THE CHANGE. Let us work it out together. We can start dreaming of a better Manipur without the bl-oodsheds, without the hatred, without the mindlessness amongst politicians. We just need to unite and create a common cause. Let us make a collective pledge to avoid leading wretched lives, let us also make this rock concert a means to voice our grievances. Come be a part of the change, be a part of the musical solidarity. Cheers!

This article was published on 5 Nov 2011

My Vote Is Precious, What About Yurs ?

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

Defying a Mahatma’s citation would be the last thing anyone would ever do. So, I humbly accept the above saying without a nagging if or but. Nonetheless, it is a different cup of tea that the dates and seasons keep changing in Manipur while the situations remain the same. Sorry Bapuji, it’s indeed a successful-failure for us to refrain ourselves from being encouraged by such a moving principle. Heartfelt Apologies (with an accompanying sad smiley).

All is not well at all. It has been a continuous sequence of pestering and perturbing experience to read news and views on the current issues in Manipur that are without any solution. No matter one is confined in the home State or not, the concern remains the same. We all love to go through pleasing news and encouraging stories as far as the home-State is related which have become missing columns on most of the news-sites and dailies that are accessible through internet.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and it won’t be long before the months turn into a year but no change has been ever observed so far and no change can yet be anticipated. The ‘Assurance-theory’ seems to have successfully failed again and most of the plans are almost getting foiled and flopped. Nevertheless, people need not worry because the Government will further work on more ‘assurance theories’ after all that’s the only thing they are good at.

It is at times a clear-doubt or a puzzle for me how the Government keeps it’s cool at such intense situations. No matter how many Bandhs or General Strikes that different groups call for, no matter how sky-rocketed the prices of daily commodities are, it is ‘paangkhokla eshing chaiba’ effort from the public’s side since none of the issues are ever resolved.

Nonetheless, we should still be hopeful right? We cannot be too pessimistic especially when some fleeting impractical solutions are probably on the way. YES! The elections are around. And when elections come, can fake-agendas be far behind? At a time when the whole State is burning and equally suffering amidst chaos and unexpected hoo-hahs, the upcoming election is perhaps going to be a pseudo-respite for people or at least I mistakenly think so? It would be a tricky situation for the ruling Government to act or react on any burning issue as they are prone to be severely criticised by the Opposition party. But yes, they will tackle things tactfully with the same old tactics. By the way, I believe campaigns have already been started. Many promises will be refreshed, many agendas will be framed and many social works can also be expected at each and every leikai. Local feasts will be plenty in number funded by the political candidates. Some families will also get monetary assistance personally funded by the same candidates. The love, care, affection and concern that have never been shown for all these years will suddenly outburst because it is campaign time and winning their love and affection is the primary agenda for them.

Ever wonder how open bribery is warmly accepted in our home State? Needless to mention that when it’s free anyone doesn’t mind having it (money). It is an open secret that Democracy is an honest joke as far as Manipur is concerned. It has always been Government off the people, bye (the) people, not for the people. The comical paradox however is that people are aware about it. They know the wrongs and the rights equally and yet they become easy prey to the pseudo-promises of undeserving political leaders that are refreshed during every election time. My earnest consideration therefore is that people need not complain at all when they are the ones who are solely responsible for bribery much before the political leaders come into power. It’s not just a vote that is sold away; it’s the self-respect that is being openly sold. It is all in all kind of dukandari system– give money and buy the vote—that’s it? If such is the norm that has been followed for all these years, why the heck should they complain about problems that rise later? Let the mushrooming number of problems burgeon, who cares? On a very personal note, I am honestly glad that I have never ever voted even once for any of the election campaigns held in our Kendra. I am not against plebiscite system in Manipur but I am totally against the misconstrued understanding and practice of election. If election is all about selling your self-respect just for the sake of some free money, I would never ever do that. If election is all about choosing a wrong candidate who cannot represent the collective voice or grievances of people, EXCUSE ME because my vote is really precious, what about yours?

This article was published on 4 Sep 2011