If only they acts with sincerity the public anger may somehow calm

The one thing that the people of the state would perhaps be pining for at present is “if only….” If only they shared the pain and sorrow of the thirteen unarmed youths who were brutally murdered. If only- the Center and the state government are serious about the over 60,000 displaced homeless people. If only- the state government had been more transparent in its dealings, especially when it was concerned with dealing with armed terrorists. If only- the state government acts as per the constitution of the nation which says that the protection of every citizen is the primary duty of the government. The present situation perhaps is a result of the failure of both the central and state governments to perform their most basic function. Intentionally, ignoring what is being happening in Manipur and claiming the ‘situation under control’ will only fuel anger among the people.
The perennial effort to appease the central government and to be in its good books, and worse still, to maintain and increase their coterie of unscrupulous racketeers and swindlers to do their dirty deeds and biddings have distanced the so-called peoples’ representatives from the public. Distrust, suspicion, and lack of communication increase as a result.
Even after showing some action in the aftermath of the seven-month-long violence by sending large troops without giving power to crack down on the illegal armed militants for reasons best known to those running the government, it will be hard to calm the anger of the people.
The declaration by the mothers and CSOs leaders stating that the present steps being taken up by the state government cannot be trusted exactly conveys the manner in which the public has come to view those at the helm of affairs.
It would not be an exaggeration to state that the present set of ministers and MLAs has shifted their focus from governance towards profiteering. Every single activity is being carried out on consideration of money and personal benefits and nothing else. The practice had thus been institutionalized leading to a trickle-down effect. The result- one now has to grease the palms right from the gatekeepers of any government department right up to the highest authority to get anything done, without any exception. The state is at a standstill as of today, and the hardest hit lot would have to be the students who have lost invaluable time and opportunities. Yet inexplicably, the government is mooting the resumption of normal classes for private schools. Could it kindly enlighten the public as to the rationale behind such a consideration? Or has it lost the plot and is trying to distract and drag the issue further? Does it still believe that it can somehow wriggle itself out of its present quandary?
After the dust has settled on the present issue, the next parliament election will be an interesting study in human behavior. The present government has shown itself incapable of standing its ground or protecting the interests of its people. The alternative isn’t very comforting either, with most of the leaders being outcasts of the present government or ones who have been discarded by the people- a classic case of old wine in a new bottle. The ultimate responsibility of protecting the interests of the public will therefore come down to us, the general public through our judicious choice of representatives who can dig deep and fight our fight, not someone who can shell out the highest bid for our mandate.