‘Highway’ tops poll promises in Manipur

By Prasanta Mazumdar

Imphal: Call it sailing with the tide. The political parties in Manipur are trying to woo voters by playing the ‘highway’ card. Most of the parties have shifted their focus on the plight of people battered by frequent blockades. They have made a commitment to protect the two national highways - the lifeline of the state.

Geographically, Manipur is like an amphitheatre where the valley, inhabited by the Manipuris, is surrounded by hills. The Nagas, the Kukis and some other tribal communities are in majority in the hills.

The two highways that connect the valley with the rest of the country pass through the hills. The tribals, primarily the Nagas, enforce blockades on the highways every time they have a problem with the Manipuris.

The Manipuris now want an end to this problem. Sensing their mood, the political parties figured the issue in their manifestos.

“We’ll enact the Manipur Highway Protection Act to effectively counter and control the menace of blockades on the highways,” K Debabarta, working president of Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) said, releasing the party manifesto.

“Those involved in blockades could be then tried and punished under the Act,” he added.

The People’s Democratic Front, a five-party conglomerate, and the CPIalso made similar promises.“We’ll ensure a foolproof protection of the highways if voted to power,” PDF convenor Dr Nimaichand Luwang said. BJP and CPI (M) said they would look out for a possible mechanism to prevent bandhs and blockades while the ruling Congress committed to develop an alternative road.

The Nagas reacted strongly. “We’ll never be cowed down by such move. No power on earth will be able to destroy the democratic aspirations and spirits of the Nagas,” United Naga Council spokesperson, S Milan, told DNA.

“Why don’t they address the political issues of the Nagas? They must respect our history and not provoke us,” he said.
The Naga rebels demand the creation of ‘Greater Nagaland’ by slicing off the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.