By – Amar Yumnam
Let me begin by straightway asserting certain core points: I. Manipur was all along a South East Asian Kingdom – never a South Asian appendix. It merged with India only in 1949. II. The social behavioural differentials of Manipur have been unique and thus dissimilar from those of India. The social mannerisms of Manipur start from the family to the King and thus covering the society with shared qualitative features of social functioning. III. While we usually talk of education only from the recent Indian perspective, we must be fully conscientious of the fact that learning through a systematised process has been an historical strength of the society. The Mukna was learnt through a Mukna Teacher. So is the Thang-Ta. In the same way, the dance forms of Manipur enjoy a global status because they are founded on the systematic learning. IV. The youths of Manipur of both the sexes continuously occupy global places in Sports, Academics, Science and Technology because of the inherent social capabilities. V. The social role of women enjoys an exceptional strength in Manipur. V. Right from 1949, the uniqueness of Manipur as a South East Asian society has never got the appreciation; the South Asian people and government of India do not have the intention and the capability to do so. VI. While the Merger took place from independent countries, the perspective of India has been nothing more than treating Manipur as an Appendix whenever the memory comes. VII. There is no endeavour to evolve a border policy structured to understand the South East Asian civility of Manipur.
It is exactly in this background that certain critical issues come up. A. Though the association is completing seven decades soon, in this age of Neoliberalism and Neo-Geopolitics, Manipur government recently issued an order whereby any Head-Constable of the police or someone of equal rank of the army could do anything with any public; Legalism and Principles of Justice are inapplicable to Social Manipur. This naturally raises the issue as to whether Federalism, Democracy and Justice are only of the Government and never of the relationship between the society and the government. It is a crime to quote this in Manipur: “The concept of governance evokes a more pluralistic pattern of rule than does government: governance is less focused on state institutions, and more focused on the processes and interactions that tie the state to civil society.”B. The present Head of the People of Manipur has put in public that all the powers have been taken away from him by the Central Unit of the Federation, and thus he is incapable of deciding on anything. The interesting part is that he has not raised any issue relating to democratic federalism when all his administrative functions are taken away but yet remains in the chair.
What has been happening in Manipur proves that there is an intentional attempt to continually cause “a crisis of faith in the state” such that over time the entire population of Manipur can be killed by the security forces at will or the remainder run away. Here I would like to recall three facts. I. Besides the historical social role of teachers, let us look back to the role the Principals (like Prof Nilamani Singh of the Imphal College and others of the DM College) of the colleges played during the 1950-1980 period. II. The role the Leaders of the universities play in social transformation in now vibrant countries of the world – UK, USA, Singapore, South Korea, etc. III. The world has already left behind the goods economy and transiting through a services economy based fundamentally on knowledge.
Since the State is facing very serious critical issues, the universities must come forward to function as leaders feeding knowledge to both the government and the society. Further, Manipur has got a public university of her own in DM University. The present head of this university cannot remain as silent spectator enjoying the happenings as a spectator with high salary. We understand that, with his poor academic exposure and the experiences more of a clerical type of handling files, he will have a weak capability to serve the social cause of enhancing the knowledge capability of both state and society; he must for sure play the role of an influencer to the government in taking decisions on Manipur. For the Head of the People of Manipur, he must necessarily have at least some understanding of Aristotle and Hobbes. He can try using services of the VC of the State University.