Manipur News

By M.C. Linthoingambee

We all need a little bit of help from time to time. There are several reasons why certain projects begin with the outlook into 50 years ahead of time and wondering if it would work. The idea of giving of legal aid is one of such perspective that might have worked out for better or for worse. Everything works for money now; there are no rooms for the poor anymore. There are no narrow escapes anymore to see whether all individuals are liable to receive equal opportunity in every aspect. The rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer. This is one the great ideology passed down for generations or somewhere in the deep wilderness but there are times when the statement goes in an opposite direction. But more than 70% of these people stand by their social and economic deprivation till today. In this world, we all hang by a thin line of justice. There are times when even innocents are even put behind bars at the incompetence of some.

There is a presiding rule of long litigation procedures with expensive cost schedule in India henceforth, the line of people who suffers most from this effect are the poor. They are grouped according to the reports provided by the National Sample Survey (NSS) and placed into different categories separated by the poverty line according to their respective Cost Basic Needs and Consumer Price Index. The Culture of Poverty has deprived millions and several growing generations from achieving their rightful right to develop as individuals. Once upon a time, we were even foolish enough to establish grounds of un-touchability. We were being selfish but human perceptions have changed today and people are fighting more and more to establish civilized conversations, settlement, etc.

In the concern of giving justice to these classes of citizens we are looking at bigger and better pictures now. The Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary have come under one common agreement and even established express provisions in the Constitution to give equal justice and free legal aid under Article 39A. In the hope of giving more authority to provisions of legal aid the Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted by the Parliament in the hope of giving a voice of hope to the poor citizens. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal services available under the Act. Otherwise if we further expand our horizon we have seen measures of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) expanding at a rapid rate in the form of: Negotiation, Mediation, Conciliation, Arbitration and most importantly Lok Adalat in a way to developing the principle of natural justice. The establishing principles of Lok Adalat have achieved more than the principles it was set out for but we need more awareness on these issues specially when there are no fees given in a settlement negotiation of the People`™s Court. It has a far reaching effect with eligibility for such free legal services inclusive of Women and children; Members of SC/ST; Industrial workmen; Victims of mass disaster; violence, flood, drought, earthquake, industrial disaster; Disabled persons; Persons in custody; Persons whose annual income does not exceed Rs. 50,000/- Victims of Trafficking in Human beings. The network is widening and has expanded on to pending petitions that lies with the Women`™s Commissions, Labour Courts, Industrial Tribunal, etc.

Legal Aid Clinics are new innovations in establishing peace within our society. Legal Aid Clinics in all Gram Panchayats operate by engaging competent lawyers as legal consultants in the clinics thereby giving wide publicity about the clinics with the help of local Self-Government Institutions. There are also ways by which law colleges and law universities are encouraging students to adopt legal aid clinics and work in remote village areas as their area of operation. In its recorded achievement reports till about March 31, 2009 there are reports of 96.99 lakh people benefiting through legal aid and advice throughout the country in which about 13.83 lakh persons belonging to Scheduled Caste and 4.64 lakh people of Scheduled Tribe communities were beneficiaries. More than 10.22 lakh people were women and about 2.35 lakh people in custody were also benefited. About 7.25 lakh Lok Adalats have been held throughout the country in which more than 2.68 crore cases have been settled. In about 16.87 lakh Motor Accident Claim cases, more than Rs. 7593 crore has been awarded as compensation.

The Initiative that began under the supervision of some of the legal and diversifying assets in the country have taken a heavy toll and expanding till today. Every state in India has begun with the practicality of establishing their own respective state legal service authorities and has worked to their full capacity side by side with the rule makers and executioners of such rule. And that is the idea folks of delivering justice in their full capacity.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/legal-aid/

By M.C. Linthoingambee

We all need a little bit of help from time to time. There are several reasons why certain projects begin with the outlook into 50 years ahead of time and wondering if it would work. The idea of giving of legal aid is one of such perspective that might have worked out for better or for worse. Everything works for money now; there are no rooms for the poor anymore. There are no narrow escapes anymore to see whether all individuals are liable to receive equal opportunity in every aspect. The rich have become richer and the poor have become poorer. This is one the great ideology passed down for generations or somewhere in the deep wilderness but there are times when the statement goes in an opposite direction. But more than 70% of these people stand by their social and economic deprivation till today. In this world, we all hang by a thin line of justice. There are times when even innocents are even put behind bars at the incompetence of some.

There is a presiding rule of long litigation procedures with expensive cost schedule in India henceforth, the line of people who suffers most from this effect are the poor. They are grouped according to the reports provided by the National Sample Survey (NSS) and placed into different categories separated by the poverty line according to their respective Cost Basic Needs and Consumer Price Index. The Culture of Poverty has deprived millions and several growing generations from achieving their rightful right to develop as individuals. Once upon a time, we were even foolish enough to establish grounds of un-touchability. We were being selfish but human perceptions have changed today and people are fighting more and more to establish civilized conversations, settlement, etc.

In the concern of giving justice to these classes of citizens we are looking at bigger and better pictures now. The Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary have come under one common agreement and even established express provisions in the Constitution to give equal justice and free legal aid under Article 39A. In the hope of giving more authority to provisions of legal aid the Legal Services Authorities Act was enacted by the Parliament in the hope of giving a voice of hope to the poor citizens. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to monitor and evaluate implementation of legal services available under the Act. Otherwise if we further expand our horizon we have seen measures of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) expanding at a rapid rate in the form of: Negotiation, Mediation, Conciliation, Arbitration and most importantly Lok Adalat in a way to developing the principle of natural justice. The establishing principles of Lok Adalat have achieved more than the principles it was set out for but we need more awareness on these issues specially when there are no fees given in a settlement negotiation of the People`™s Court. It has a far reaching effect with eligibility for such free legal services inclusive of Women and children; Members of SC/ST; Industrial workmen; Victims of mass disaster; violence, flood, drought, earthquake, industrial disaster; Disabled persons; Persons in custody; Persons whose annual income does not exceed Rs. 50,000/- Victims of Trafficking in Human beings. The network is widening and has expanded on to pending petitions that lies with the Women`™s Commissions, Labour Courts, Industrial Tribunal, etc.

Legal Aid Clinics are new innovations in establishing peace within our society. Legal Aid Clinics in all Gram Panchayats operate by engaging competent lawyers as legal consultants in the clinics thereby giving wide publicity about the clinics with the help of local Self-Government Institutions. There are also ways by which law colleges and law universities are encouraging students to adopt legal aid clinics and work in remote village areas as their area of operation. In its recorded achievement reports till about March 31, 2009 there are reports of 96.99 lakh people benefiting through legal aid and advice throughout the country in which about 13.83 lakh persons belonging to Scheduled Caste and 4.64 lakh people of Scheduled Tribe communities were beneficiaries. More than 10.22 lakh people were women and about 2.35 lakh people in custody were also benefited. About 7.25 lakh Lok Adalats have been held throughout the country in which more than 2.68 crore cases have been settled. In about 16.87 lakh Motor Accident Claim cases, more than Rs. 7593 crore has been awarded as compensation.

The Initiative that began under the supervision of some of the legal and diversifying assets in the country have taken a heavy toll and expanding till today. Every state in India has begun with the practicality of establishing their own respective state legal service authorities and has worked to their full capacity side by side with the rule makers and executioners of such rule. And that is the idea folks of delivering justice in their full capacity.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/legal-aid/

By Khura Seraton

You open some paan dukans and eateries, and you call it some kind of festival. Yaare! Please take it away somewhere from here. We have enough of it`. Da Bung is an angry man these days. You know, he has been angry even before the festival had begun. He is someone who doesn`™t get upset so easily. Those who know him would agree. For most of the time, you will find Da Bung with a smile, but not this time. I told him that he should not be so harsh with his comments. `Ebungo Gyankumar. Don`™t feed me your gyan today`¦` But, Da Bung, I am not trying to `¦ He interrupted and continued, `Mr Speaker Sir, I have heard about something called House Arrest over the news channels sometimes `¦ the leader of so and so is under house arrest for his unwanted political activism against the establishment. But I am not a leader of any organisation. So are my family members. We are now under house arrest for committing the crime of residing at Palace Compound`. You can`™t call that a house arrest, Da Bung, I tried to reason. `Do you have a better word? Even if you have, keep it with yourself. You know what. We are given a Pass by the prabhu(s); a single Pass for the entire family members to move in and out from our own house. My children go to school. I go to work. My parents go to work. I too go to work. Tell me, should I distribute the Pass among us by cutting it into equal parts?`

What can we do about it, Da Bung? It`™s not only your family. There are other families in and around Palace Compound who have to take the same trouble as yours. The restrictions are just for ten days. `Ho Oya! Oya Gyankumaraa! I know what you are trying to say. Being a citizen I have to give cooperation to the organiser for successful conduct of the event. You mean to say that. Isn`™t it? Yes, I totally agree with it. Well, let me tell you one thing. Cooperation is something which you give voluntarily`. Da Bung, you are taking it too far. And I think our conversation will lead us to argument for the sake of it. I am just trying to point out that Da Bung is taking things personally. `Hold it right there, sir. I am not interested in any sort of argument. Nor do I have any intention to prove myself by demeaning you in an argument. As you have mentioned `personal`™, yes I do take things very personally`.

I realised our conversation was getting a bit heated. I could see Da Bung was getting excited. We have known each other for a long time. We often catch up and talk of so many things under the sun. Da Bung has been suffering from Migraine ever since I have known him. He had consulted with many doctors in the state to treat his Migraine. But the Migraine is still with him; giving him bad time when it pays its visit. Da Bung would try to bear the pain in his own way without any medicines. In fact, he has learned to live with the pain. But at times, the pain is unbearable to him. And I feel really helpless about it. Da Bung always tries forgetting his pain, or rather tries to keep it aside as if nothing is wrong with him. This is what I admire about him most. Besides, he is someone who always tries to light up the gathering with his ever pleasing persona. He is also techno-savvy, ready to be self-taught and also ready to experiment with assortment of electronic gadgets, lying around his bed and drawing room. I do take liberty to visit him when any of my gadgets go to sleep without any reasons. Da Bung will do the needful. Da Bung also administers a social network group which is especially for people who has Migraine like him. His group shares quite a lot of information besides their experiences of coping with Migraine and latest medical research finding on the subject. Thanks to the information technology.

Ever since the Sangai Festival had begun, Da Bung has not been able to connect with the internet, which means he has been cut off from his social media community since the last many days. To Da Bung and his group the social networking site has been a kind of Sanatorium. They take solace sharing their experiences of bearing pain induced by Migraine. This being the case, Da Bung has been grumpy, saying the festival has been the culprit causing cyber traffic jam.

He continued his talking, `I don`™t mind the noise, I don`™t mind the dust. You know, we are used to it. Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre and the chains of public events that it has given space to have become almost a lullaby to us. What I really don`™t like is the security personnel searching the children`™s school bags when they go out for school`. They have to do it as part of their duty, Da Bung. They are just following orders. You know that. `Agreed, Gyankumar, agreed. But I always fail to explain to my children why their bags are checked when they asked after their return from school. That pain is more severe than Migraine`.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/da-bung-of-palace-compound/

By Khura Seraton

You open some paan dukans and eateries, and you call it some kind of festival. Yaare! Please take it away somewhere from here. We have enough of it`. Da Bung is an angry man these days. You know, he has been angry even before the festival had begun. He is someone who doesn`™t get upset so easily. Those who know him would agree. For most of the time, you will find Da Bung with a smile, but not this time. I told him that he should not be so harsh with his comments. `Ebungo Gyankumar. Don`™t feed me your gyan today`¦` But, Da Bung, I am not trying to `¦ He interrupted and continued, `Mr Speaker Sir, I have heard about something called House Arrest over the news channels sometimes `¦ the leader of so and so is under house arrest for his unwanted political activism against the establishment. But I am not a leader of any organisation. So are my family members. We are now under house arrest for committing the crime of residing at Palace Compound`. You can`™t call that a house arrest, Da Bung, I tried to reason. `Do you have a better word? Even if you have, keep it with yourself. You know what. We are given a Pass by the prabhu(s); a single Pass for the entire family members to move in and out from our own house. My children go to school. I go to work. My parents go to work. I too go to work. Tell me, should I distribute the Pass among us by cutting it into equal parts?`

What can we do about it, Da Bung? It`™s not only your family. There are other families in and around Palace Compound who have to take the same trouble as yours. The restrictions are just for ten days. `Ho Oya! Oya Gyankumaraa! I know what you are trying to say. Being a citizen I have to give cooperation to the organiser for successful conduct of the event. You mean to say that. Isn`™t it? Yes, I totally agree with it. Well, let me tell you one thing. Cooperation is something which you give voluntarily`. Da Bung, you are taking it too far. And I think our conversation will lead us to argument for the sake of it. I am just trying to point out that Da Bung is taking things personally. `Hold it right there, sir. I am not interested in any sort of argument. Nor do I have any intention to prove myself by demeaning you in an argument. As you have mentioned `personal`™, yes I do take things very personally`.

I realised our conversation was getting a bit heated. I could see Da Bung was getting excited. We have known each other for a long time. We often catch up and talk of so many things under the sun. Da Bung has been suffering from Migraine ever since I have known him. He had consulted with many doctors in the state to treat his Migraine. But the Migraine is still with him; giving him bad time when it pays its visit. Da Bung would try to bear the pain in his own way without any medicines. In fact, he has learned to live with the pain. But at times, the pain is unbearable to him. And I feel really helpless about it. Da Bung always tries forgetting his pain, or rather tries to keep it aside as if nothing is wrong with him. This is what I admire about him most. Besides, he is someone who always tries to light up the gathering with his ever pleasing persona. He is also techno-savvy, ready to be self-taught and also ready to experiment with assortment of electronic gadgets, lying around his bed and drawing room. I do take liberty to visit him when any of my gadgets go to sleep without any reasons. Da Bung will do the needful. Da Bung also administers a social network group which is especially for people who has Migraine like him. His group shares quite a lot of information besides their experiences of coping with Migraine and latest medical research finding on the subject. Thanks to the information technology.

Ever since the Sangai Festival had begun, Da Bung has not been able to connect with the internet, which means he has been cut off from his social media community since the last many days. To Da Bung and his group the social networking site has been a kind of Sanatorium. They take solace sharing their experiences of bearing pain induced by Migraine. This being the case, Da Bung has been grumpy, saying the festival has been the culprit causing cyber traffic jam.

He continued his talking, `I don`™t mind the noise, I don`™t mind the dust. You know, we are used to it. Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre and the chains of public events that it has given space to have become almost a lullaby to us. What I really don`™t like is the security personnel searching the children`™s school bags when they go out for school`. They have to do it as part of their duty, Da Bung. They are just following orders. You know that. `Agreed, Gyankumar, agreed. But I always fail to explain to my children why their bags are checked when they asked after their return from school. That pain is more severe than Migraine`.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/da-bung-of-palace-compound/

By Malangba Bangormayum

I like people who like people whom I like. I like specially those people who like my son and tell things like, `he is so cute`, `he is so talented`… `he is very intelligent`. I like them anyways even if I know that what they say might not be true. Is it just me or is it a common phenomenon? My wife says it is common enough.

I like people who like Manipur. I met two such people on the same day last week. The first person`™s father was an IAS officer posted in different parts of Manipur – Chandel, Churachandpur, Ukhrul and Imphal. She grew up in Manipur. And more importantly she talks of Manipur with a certain unmistakable nostalgia. She conducts a children`™s choir. Her brother is none other than the conductor of The Shillong Chamber Choir. Circumstances had somehow brought the two of us together to adjudge very talented singers and instrumentalists from the NER. In fact, the talent and stature of one in particular put the two of us in a very discomforting position. We had to judge, one of the most identifiable singers from our region, who has attained iconic status. He was part of the Great Society and has a penchant for wearing really tight and really short jeans pants while performing. There are some people who are beyond any kind of formal judging `“ they have made a mark, they have contributed their bit. He is one of them. How do one judge persons like him? Simply because I happen to have a formal degree in the domain in which he functions, I am made a judge of him.

The director of the government agency where this business transpired, it so happens, was throwing a luncheon to celebrate his retirement in a few days. When I was making an exit from the premises, I was introduced to him. He was in high spirits. He smelled of fine spirits – literally. As soon as he came to know that I am from Manipur, he started to move his well-oiled wheels of eloquence. His father was the proprietor of Imphal Talkies. He grew up in Imphal. He talked of Imphal Talkies with pride and joy `“ even though Imphal Talkies is no longer theirs. His father made it a point that the finest Hollywood productions had its premiere shows, in the country, in Imphal Talkies. This was a big gamble. Distributors charge disproportionate fees for premieres. Though this made him lose money he didn`™t mind. Such was his passion to make Imphal Talkies a Cinema to talk about.

My Fair Lady, I was told by this gentleman, made its premier in India at Imphal Talkies. When one of the Warner Brothers came to Bombay as part of a victory lap for the phenomenal success, especially in terms of returns of this film, he was greeted by a bouquet of flowers with the card `For My Fair Lady from Imphal Talkies`. When the producer returned home, he sent a thank you card with the words – `To Imphal Talkies from My Fair Lady. No one had sent a lovelier gift`. These stories from another generation sounded fantastic. They enervated my tired nerves after a daylong affair of judging artistes`™s talents and capabilities, some of which were atrocious. The stories reaffirmed my belief about the part passions play in carving the world.

When I was about to leave, I asked the name of his father. The gentleman came close to my ears and whispered a name which sounded like an Islamic name. But the spirits had done its work by then. I could not get the name. Afraid that I might offend such a nice person, I did not have the courage to ask him to repeat the name. I thought `what`™s the point?` I know the person without knowing the name, without having seen his face. I felt I knew him, someone separated by time. What`™s in a name anyways?

I remember the big long fans inside Imphal Talkies. Who can forget the languorous whirring synchronicity they performed in those warm Imphal summer holidays. As a kid, I loved to look at them, more than the movies sometimes. Now, everyone knows the condition of Imphal Talkies. It has had its day. And what an amazing day it must have been.

On my way home, I silently reflected on whether the state`™s creative output in the area of films had anything to do with the passion of that gentleman. Perhaps, it might have. Some Manipuri friends of the gentleman`™s father jokingly told him that his father whetted the insurgency movements by bringing in films about rebellion, films about freedom and films about the wild, wild-west. Perhaps, this too might have some truth under the veneer of a joke. A far-fetched possibility in any case.

Every time I go by Imphal Talkies, I shall smile, knowing that it had a past, a wonderful past. I might also sigh at the condition that it has come to. Perhaps, I would then reflect on the transitory illusoriness of things. This reflection too, no doubt, shall be transitory.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/flowers-for-my-fair-lady/

By Malangba Bangormayum

I like people who like people whom I like. I like specially those people who like my son and tell things like, `he is so cute`, `he is so talented`… `he is very intelligent`. I like them anyways even if I know that what they say might not be true. Is it just me or is it a common phenomenon? My wife says it is common enough.

I like people who like Manipur. I met two such people on the same day last week. The first person`™s father was an IAS officer posted in different parts of Manipur – Chandel, Churachandpur, Ukhrul and Imphal. She grew up in Manipur. And more importantly she talks of Manipur with a certain unmistakable nostalgia. She conducts a children`™s choir. Her brother is none other than the conductor of The Shillong Chamber Choir. Circumstances had somehow brought the two of us together to adjudge very talented singers and instrumentalists from the NER. In fact, the talent and stature of one in particular put the two of us in a very discomforting position. We had to judge, one of the most identifiable singers from our region, who has attained iconic status. He was part of the Great Society and has a penchant for wearing really tight and really short jeans pants while performing. There are some people who are beyond any kind of formal judging `“ they have made a mark, they have contributed their bit. He is one of them. How do one judge persons like him? Simply because I happen to have a formal degree in the domain in which he functions, I am made a judge of him.

The director of the government agency where this business transpired, it so happens, was throwing a luncheon to celebrate his retirement in a few days. When I was making an exit from the premises, I was introduced to him. He was in high spirits. He smelled of fine spirits – literally. As soon as he came to know that I am from Manipur, he started to move his well-oiled wheels of eloquence. His father was the proprietor of Imphal Talkies. He grew up in Imphal. He talked of Imphal Talkies with pride and joy `“ even though Imphal Talkies is no longer theirs. His father made it a point that the finest Hollywood productions had its premiere shows, in the country, in Imphal Talkies. This was a big gamble. Distributors charge disproportionate fees for premieres. Though this made him lose money he didn`™t mind. Such was his passion to make Imphal Talkies a Cinema to talk about.

My Fair Lady, I was told by this gentleman, made its premier in India at Imphal Talkies. When one of the Warner Brothers came to Bombay as part of a victory lap for the phenomenal success, especially in terms of returns of this film, he was greeted by a bouquet of flowers with the card `For My Fair Lady from Imphal Talkies`. When the producer returned home, he sent a thank you card with the words – `To Imphal Talkies from My Fair Lady. No one had sent a lovelier gift`. These stories from another generation sounded fantastic. They enervated my tired nerves after a daylong affair of judging artistes`™s talents and capabilities, some of which were atrocious. The stories reaffirmed my belief about the part passions play in carving the world.

When I was about to leave, I asked the name of his father. The gentleman came close to my ears and whispered a name which sounded like an Islamic name. But the spirits had done its work by then. I could not get the name. Afraid that I might offend such a nice person, I did not have the courage to ask him to repeat the name. I thought `what`™s the point?` I know the person without knowing the name, without having seen his face. I felt I knew him, someone separated by time. What`™s in a name anyways?

I remember the big long fans inside Imphal Talkies. Who can forget the languorous whirring synchronicity they performed in those warm Imphal summer holidays. As a kid, I loved to look at them, more than the movies sometimes. Now, everyone knows the condition of Imphal Talkies. It has had its day. And what an amazing day it must have been.

On my way home, I silently reflected on whether the state`™s creative output in the area of films had anything to do with the passion of that gentleman. Perhaps, it might have. Some Manipuri friends of the gentleman`™s father jokingly told him that his father whetted the insurgency movements by bringing in films about rebellion, films about freedom and films about the wild, wild-west. Perhaps, this too might have some truth under the veneer of a joke. A far-fetched possibility in any case.

Every time I go by Imphal Talkies, I shall smile, knowing that it had a past, a wonderful past. I might also sigh at the condition that it has come to. Perhaps, I would then reflect on the transitory illusoriness of things. This reflection too, no doubt, shall be transitory.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/flowers-for-my-fair-lady/

By Tinky Ningombam

In the hope to do a little bit of research for this year`™s fest, I stumbled upon their pretty website http://sangaifestival.gov.in/ . Ignoring my OCD against grammatical errors, I browsed through the pages in a frenzy. And then I found something fascinating. There it was, a tab that said `MAN BEHIND THE WHEELS/FESTIVALS`, just within the section THEME & PURPOSE OF FESTIVAL. Of course I wanted to know who the MAN is, the man who is running this entire show, who came up with this spectacular event. Who wouldn`™t? I clicked on it and what did I find? NOTHING. A blank page. A million questions ran in my mind. Why was this blank? If it was supposed to be blank, why was this page created? Who did they want to name the Father of The Sangai Festival? Who is the neo, the alpha, the omega ? Who is the ONE? A mystery never fails to excite me. Manipur, you always seem to give me such profound moments of joy every single day. One mystery after another. It is like living a Sherlock Holmes story. When will I ever tire of you?
Manipur celebrates Sangai Festival. All that people seem to be talking about is the festival. Which is good. Talk is good. No publicity is bad publicity. 30,000 thronged the 8th day of the event read local dailies. For the state it is one of the rare market-able investment. So far in all these years, the only scaling up I felt were the delegations from other states and countries. And now our PM.

The cultural events seems to have wowed the delegates; that is good news indeed. Sunday`™s grand finale will be the make or break day. It might just be a little early to rejoice. Last time I checked, the best thing about last year turned out to be the Moreh light bulbs outside. Not only for being a good backdrop for people`™s Facebook pictures but especially the day after where people took (stole) it to light their own homes. And who could forget the ample bad memories from years past. The unruly audience catcalling foreign artistes and the obnoxious thefts from the foreign stalls. The drunk people at the venue and the caterwauling at fashion shows. See, some things you have to learn as individuals. The government is not responsible for how the people behave, that we have to admit. This time around, it is quite funny though that by far the most talked about stall is the certain one with fried chicken from Guwahati. Beat that! Manipur tourism fest mega-seller is a fried chicken stall! Colonel Sanders must be seeing dollar signs in heaven.

Though without doubt, a state sponsored festival with no competition so far is definitely a very good product to build and market. Give or take some glitches, such as the lack of security or proper hospitality infrastructure. People like a spectacle, period. We like drama and entertainment. All work and no play definitely makes Jack a dull boy. So every year, people come to see the same venue and stalls over and over again in the hope to find something new, something better for them. But what is the future of the festival now? Can we hosts hundreds of people coming in from other places to visit? Because it is `Safety First` right? Till we can assure safe travels and stays, the Sangai Festival has to be in the beta stage because sadly, despite many promises, it is still a `come at your own risk` affair.

It is an occupational hazard that every time I read a bad headline, the PR person in me twitches her thumbs. A grenade managing to miraculously get past our beloved and efficient police and security forces. Some officials seem to be a little too distracted by the food stalls. But what the heck, business as usual, eh? One asks why it is that anything that our state government does gets bad press. One answer. No trust. It is all a vicious circle. The people don`™t trust the government, they don`™t trust the law enforcers, and the government don`™t trust the people `¦ practically no-one trusts anyone to do the right job. Murphy`™s Law. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. In our state, there is more wrong than right.In fact there is no `right`, there is the `wrong` and the `not-so-wrong.`

What of the festival though? The gathering of rich and poor alike, meeting of locals and people from beyond. How does it bode for the state? This is where it makes one wonder how you measure the success of the festival. Is it the public`™s satisfied palates, profits from the local stalls, publicity to fill up their year books? What is the benchmark? What deals goes on behind the red tapes?

There is only one way to sustain a property to create interest and that is to scale it up – to make it bigger, better and grander. Tourism is more than just festivals, you will agree. Tourism fests are about creating local affinities, enabling infrastructure, enhancing the image of the state, helping the economy. You don`t need a college degree to understand this. We need some real action, less deceptive magic tricks. No smoke clouds and sparkles. More returns for the people. Because we know better that it is one thing to create a spectacle and another to get benefits. Some national limelight will definitely be a welcome sign for the final day. Due credit to one of Indian media`™s darling, our hon. Prime Minister, Mr Modi. Grand day ahead. Between a curfew and the PM`™s bandobast, it will be a swell Sunday. Notwithstanding some inappropriate man-handling and body cavity searches. Readers, do upload selfies.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/the-2014-edition-of-the-great-sangai-festival/

By Tinky Ningombam

In the hope to do a little bit of research for this year`™s fest, I stumbled upon their pretty website http://sangaifestival.gov.in/ . Ignoring my OCD against grammatical errors, I browsed through the pages in a frenzy. And then I found something fascinating. There it was, a tab that said `MAN BEHIND THE WHEELS/FESTIVALS`, just within the section THEME & PURPOSE OF FESTIVAL. Of course I wanted to know who the MAN is, the man who is running this entire show, who came up with this spectacular event. Who wouldn`™t? I clicked on it and what did I find? NOTHING. A blank page. A million questions ran in my mind. Why was this blank? If it was supposed to be blank, why was this page created? Who did they want to name the Father of The Sangai Festival? Who is the neo, the alpha, the omega ? Who is the ONE? A mystery never fails to excite me. Manipur, you always seem to give me such profound moments of joy every single day. One mystery after another. It is like living a Sherlock Holmes story. When will I ever tire of you?
Manipur celebrates Sangai Festival. All that people seem to be talking about is the festival. Which is good. Talk is good. No publicity is bad publicity. 30,000 thronged the 8th day of the event read local dailies. For the state it is one of the rare market-able investment. So far in all these years, the only scaling up I felt were the delegations from other states and countries. And now our PM.

The cultural events seems to have wowed the delegates; that is good news indeed. Sunday`™s grand finale will be the make or break day. It might just be a little early to rejoice. Last time I checked, the best thing about last year turned out to be the Moreh light bulbs outside. Not only for being a good backdrop for people`™s Facebook pictures but especially the day after where people took (stole) it to light their own homes. And who could forget the ample bad memories from years past. The unruly audience catcalling foreign artistes and the obnoxious thefts from the foreign stalls. The drunk people at the venue and the caterwauling at fashion shows. See, some things you have to learn as individuals. The government is not responsible for how the people behave, that we have to admit. This time around, it is quite funny though that by far the most talked about stall is the certain one with fried chicken from Guwahati. Beat that! Manipur tourism fest mega-seller is a fried chicken stall! Colonel Sanders must be seeing dollar signs in heaven.

Though without doubt, a state sponsored festival with no competition so far is definitely a very good product to build and market. Give or take some glitches, such as the lack of security or proper hospitality infrastructure. People like a spectacle, period. We like drama and entertainment. All work and no play definitely makes Jack a dull boy. So every year, people come to see the same venue and stalls over and over again in the hope to find something new, something better for them. But what is the future of the festival now? Can we hosts hundreds of people coming in from other places to visit? Because it is `Safety First` right? Till we can assure safe travels and stays, the Sangai Festival has to be in the beta stage because sadly, despite many promises, it is still a `come at your own risk` affair.

It is an occupational hazard that every time I read a bad headline, the PR person in me twitches her thumbs. A grenade managing to miraculously get past our beloved and efficient police and security forces. Some officials seem to be a little too distracted by the food stalls. But what the heck, business as usual, eh? One asks why it is that anything that our state government does gets bad press. One answer. No trust. It is all a vicious circle. The people don`™t trust the government, they don`™t trust the law enforcers, and the government don`™t trust the people `¦ practically no-one trusts anyone to do the right job. Murphy`™s Law. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. In our state, there is more wrong than right.In fact there is no `right`, there is the `wrong` and the `not-so-wrong.`

What of the festival though? The gathering of rich and poor alike, meeting of locals and people from beyond. How does it bode for the state? This is where it makes one wonder how you measure the success of the festival. Is it the public`™s satisfied palates, profits from the local stalls, publicity to fill up their year books? What is the benchmark? What deals goes on behind the red tapes?

There is only one way to sustain a property to create interest and that is to scale it up – to make it bigger, better and grander. Tourism is more than just festivals, you will agree. Tourism fests are about creating local affinities, enabling infrastructure, enhancing the image of the state, helping the economy. You don`t need a college degree to understand this. We need some real action, less deceptive magic tricks. No smoke clouds and sparkles. More returns for the people. Because we know better that it is one thing to create a spectacle and another to get benefits. Some national limelight will definitely be a welcome sign for the final day. Due credit to one of Indian media`™s darling, our hon. Prime Minister, Mr Modi. Grand day ahead. Between a curfew and the PM`™s bandobast, it will be a swell Sunday. Notwithstanding some inappropriate man-handling and body cavity searches. Readers, do upload selfies.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/the-2014-edition-of-the-great-sangai-festival/

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/haider-and-its-echoes/

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/haider-and-its-echoes/

Hon`™ble Sir,

Greetings from Manipur, where the Indian National Flag was hoisted for the first time in India on 14 April, 1944. I am not a political person but a Social Worker working in the field of social issues in Manipur to bring peace, prosperity , communal harmony in Manipur.

You may be aware of the rich history of Manipur as a sovereign kingdom with unbroken history from 1445 BC till 27 April, 1891 and as a princely state from 1891 till 15 October, 1949 when Manipur was forcibly merged to India. The Government of India had committed a series of historical blunders during 1947-1950 which are beyond the scope of international laws and which remained as a source of conflicts with the Government of India and the people of Manipur. The present policy of the Government of India appeasing Naga underground (NSCN-IM) sacrificing the vital interest of Manipur added fuel to the prevailing ethnic tension in Manipur . This is definitely not a wise policy of the Government of India.

In this connection, you may kindly refer to the statement of G.K. Pillai, the then Union Home Secretary, which was published on 27 September, 2011 in the Telegraph newspaper. According to him, the repeal of the draconian act AFSPA -1958 was one of the first steps towards resolving the vexed conflict of Manipur`™s valley and hills. He said that ` the ancient kingdom of Manipur had a constitution even before India wrote her own and had a proud history and was overnight turned into a C-category state in 1948. He further added ` we have to build trust by dealing with the core issues An apology , say by the Prime Minister or the Home Minister, for the past mistakes could be a start.` Kumari Irom Chanu Sharmila has been undergoing ` Fasting unto death` for the last 14 years for repeal of AFSPA whereas Gandhiji`™s longest fast was 21 days.

We feel that an apology is not sufficient. The historical blunders which led to illegal annexation of Manipur to India generate a sense of betrayal in the psyche of youths of Manipur today. G.K. Pillai said ` Naga political problem in the hills and the Meitei militancy were intricately enmeshed. It was after Nagaland was formed that the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest Meitei insurgent group in Manipur was formed in 1964.` In fact Nagaland state was created by the Government of India from a village republic with no written history when Manipur with a written history of 2000 years was denied of Statehood till 1972.

The recent statement of the Union Home Minister that the Government of India will continue the implementation of AFSPA as per wishes of the Indian Army amount to handing over the administration of Manipur to the Army. If it is so, why not the Indian Government impose AFSPA on Maoist and Naxalite infested states like Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Why do the Indian Government choose to impose AFSPA selectively in some states like Manipur, Kashmir. Is there any hidden agenda?

If the Government of India genuinely wants a long lasting solution bringing peace, prosperity, development and communal harmony of Manipur, you may kindly consider to come out with some concrete solutions in the form of constitutional amendments .

1. The Instrument of Accession signed by Maharajah Bodhchandra of Manipur on 11 August was never ratified by the Manipur Constituent Assembly and therefore not valid. In case of Jammu and Kashmir , the Instrument of Accession was ratified on February 15, 1954.

2. According to the Government of India Act-1935 (6), (9) , as soon as may be after any Instrument of Accession or Supplementary Instrument has been accepted by His Majesty under this section, copies of the Instrument and His Majesty`™s acceptance thereof shall be laid before the Parliament and all courts shall take judicial notice of every such instrument and acceptance. But there are no records of the accepted copies of the Instrument of Accession of Manipur having laid down before the Parliament and all courts of India ?

3. Signing of Merger agreement on 21 September, 1949 was done by deceit, coercion, intimidation and forceful tactics contrary to international laws when India claimed to be a democratic country. Even after signing the Instrument of Accession, Manipur did not lose her sovereignty as the Union Government was to look after Defense, External affairs and Communications. The signing of the Manipur Merger Agreement was therefore between a sovereign state called Manipur and the Government of India. It should therefore be free from coercion or intimidation, force or undue pressure. What the Government of India did was nothing but coercion, intimidation under house arrest with a large numbers of security personnel.

4. The 4th sitting of the 3rd session of the Manipur State Assembly in its session held at the Johnston School on 28th September, 1949 at 2.30 pm in protest against the “Merger Agreement signed on 21st September 1949″ declared the Merger Agreement was invalid as the powers and authorities of Maharaja had been vested with the State Assembly. The excerpt of the Assembly proceedings was published in the Manipur State Gazette, part IV, dated 14 October 1949. Mr. T.C. Tiankham Speaker , Mr. M. K, Priyobarta Singh, Chief Minister and 6 other Ministers and Hon`ble 43 Members were present and adopted the resolution. The copies of the declaration signed by P.B. Singh, Chief Minister, T.C. Tiankham, Speaker, Arambam Ibungotomcha Singh, Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs was sent to the Government of India. But there is no reply on this issue during the last 65 years.

5. Once Manipur became part of the India, the Government of India dissolved the State`s Constitution Assembly in October, 1949 without repealing the Manipur Constitution Act-1947. This is another blunder the Government of India placed Manipur under `Part C State`. This was considered a disgrace to the state and the people of Manipur. Further it was degraded to the status of the union territory from 1956 onwards. In 1972, Manipur was elevated to the status of a state (or province) after a long and protracted struggle. Nagaland was raised from a village republic to Statehood on1 December, 1963 as a part of appeasement policy of the Government of India towards the Naga underground movement. Manipuris took it as a gross insult to the state and the people of Manipur perpetuated by the Government of India.

In case of Jammu and Kashmir, Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India had allowed to have (1) a special status under Article 370 of Indian Constitution in spite of so many oppositions, Ambedkar refused to prepare a draft of Article 370 (2) a separate constitution (3) a separate flag (4) a separate emblem to appease his half-brother Sheikh Abdulla, who was just a school teacher. In case of Manipur, he had done many things, which was detrimental to the general interest of Manipur people. His small statue at Imphal constantly reminded the people about the blunders he had done to the people. The existing Article 371C of the Indian Constitution is found to be extremely discriminatory and the source of all communal conflicts in Manipur which needs to be amended. We feel that you may be aware that the Indian Constitution was imposed on Manipur. Manipur did not participate in the Indian Constitutional debate held during 9th december,1946 to 24th January, 1950. It was never ratified by the then Manipur State Assembly. Manipur never asked the Government of India for constitutional amendment during the last 65 years. Among all the problems of Manipur, constitutional amendment to bring about communal harmony, unity, equality and solidarity among all ethnic groups of Manipur is the number one priority.

Considering these points, I would like to request you kindly find a permanent cure to these problem in Manipur and consider amendment of the Indian Constitution with the following provisions :-

1. The Article 3 of Indian Constitution regarding alteration of state boundaries shall not apply in respect of Manipur to protect the 2000 year old territorial integrity of Manipur.

2. The Union List and Concurrent list under the Indian Constitution pertaining to Manipur shall be taken up by the Government of India only with the concurrence of the State Legislative Assembly

3. Since 90% of Manipur is a hill area, Manipur may be declared as a Hill State

4. All the ethnic groups in Manipur may be brought under an uniform civil code

5. All the ethnic groups in Manipur may be brought under an uniform Land Laws

6. Any person from other states of India will be allowed to purchase lands only with the approval of the State Government to protect the indigenous people of Manipur

7. Any person from other states of India shall need an `Inner Line Permit` to enter Manipur on payment of nominal fees to protect the identity, culture, traditions, language, script of the Manipuris . Manipur welcomes all people from other states to visit Manipur .

8. The Pakhangba `“Sanamahi religion and other Tribal religions which are the indigenous religions of Manipur will be recognized as the other religions of the State.

9. The Constitution should provide establishment of an upper house ( Legislative Council ) with a minimum of 40 members with 10 seats reserved for nomination.

10 The Number of Rajya Sabha MPs should be increased to seven (7) on the basis of equal representation of states as done in USA and other countries. Large and small states shoukl dbe treated at par in the Rajya Sabha or Council of States.

11. The Manipuri script ( Meitei Mayek) should be included in the coins and currency bank notes

12. The followers of Pakhangba `“Sanamahi religion may be put under ` Scheduled Tribe category` of the Indian Constitution.

If you kindly consider these amendments and implement successfully , more than 90 percent of the problems of Manipur will subside.

Your sincerely

Dr. Khomdon Lisam
Former Superintendent of the
Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of
Medical Sciences, Imphal.
(khomdon,lisham@yahoo.com)

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/an-open-letter-to-shri-narendra-modi-honble-prime-minister-of-india/

Hon`™ble Sir,

Greetings from Manipur, where the Indian National Flag was hoisted for the first time in India on 14 April, 1944. I am not a political person but a Social Worker working in the field of social issues in Manipur to bring peace, prosperity , communal harmony in Manipur.

You may be aware of the rich history of Manipur as a sovereign kingdom with unbroken history from 1445 BC till 27 April, 1891 and as a princely state from 1891 till 15 October, 1949 when Manipur was forcibly merged to India. The Government of India had committed a series of historical blunders during 1947-1950 which are beyond the scope of international laws and which remained as a source of conflicts with the Government of India and the people of Manipur. The present policy of the Government of India appeasing Naga underground (NSCN-IM) sacrificing the vital interest of Manipur added fuel to the prevailing ethnic tension in Manipur . This is definitely not a wise policy of the Government of India.

In this connection, you may kindly refer to the statement of G.K. Pillai, the then Union Home Secretary, which was published on 27 September, 2011 in the Telegraph newspaper. According to him, the repeal of the draconian act AFSPA -1958 was one of the first steps towards resolving the vexed conflict of Manipur`™s valley and hills. He said that ` the ancient kingdom of Manipur had a constitution even before India wrote her own and had a proud history and was overnight turned into a C-category state in 1948. He further added ` we have to build trust by dealing with the core issues An apology , say by the Prime Minister or the Home Minister, for the past mistakes could be a start.` Kumari Irom Chanu Sharmila has been undergoing ` Fasting unto death` for the last 14 years for repeal of AFSPA whereas Gandhiji`™s longest fast was 21 days.

We feel that an apology is not sufficient. The historical blunders which led to illegal annexation of Manipur to India generate a sense of betrayal in the psyche of youths of Manipur today. G.K. Pillai said ` Naga political problem in the hills and the Meitei militancy were intricately enmeshed. It was after Nagaland was formed that the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest Meitei insurgent group in Manipur was formed in 1964.` In fact Nagaland state was created by the Government of India from a village republic with no written history when Manipur with a written history of 2000 years was denied of Statehood till 1972.

The recent statement of the Union Home Minister that the Government of India will continue the implementation of AFSPA as per wishes of the Indian Army amount to handing over the administration of Manipur to the Army. If it is so, why not the Indian Government impose AFSPA on Maoist and Naxalite infested states like Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Why do the Indian Government choose to impose AFSPA selectively in some states like Manipur, Kashmir. Is there any hidden agenda?

If the Government of India genuinely wants a long lasting solution bringing peace, prosperity, development and communal harmony of Manipur, you may kindly consider to come out with some concrete solutions in the form of constitutional amendments .

1. The Instrument of Accession signed by Maharajah Bodhchandra of Manipur on 11 August was never ratified by the Manipur Constituent Assembly and therefore not valid. In case of Jammu and Kashmir , the Instrument of Accession was ratified on February 15, 1954.

2. According to the Government of India Act-1935 (6), (9) , as soon as may be after any Instrument of Accession or Supplementary Instrument has been accepted by His Majesty under this section, copies of the Instrument and His Majesty`™s acceptance thereof shall be laid before the Parliament and all courts shall take judicial notice of every such instrument and acceptance. But there are no records of the accepted copies of the Instrument of Accession of Manipur having laid down before the Parliament and all courts of India ?

3. Signing of Merger agreement on 21 September, 1949 was done by deceit, coercion, intimidation and forceful tactics contrary to international laws when India claimed to be a democratic country. Even after signing the Instrument of Accession, Manipur did not lose her sovereignty as the Union Government was to look after Defense, External affairs and Communications. The signing of the Manipur Merger Agreement was therefore between a sovereign state called Manipur and the Government of India. It should therefore be free from coercion or intimidation, force or undue pressure. What the Government of India did was nothing but coercion, intimidation under house arrest with a large numbers of security personnel.

4. The 4th sitting of the 3rd session of the Manipur State Assembly in its session held at the Johnston School on 28th September, 1949 at 2.30 pm in protest against the “Merger Agreement signed on 21st September 1949″ declared the Merger Agreement was invalid as the powers and authorities of Maharaja had been vested with the State Assembly. The excerpt of the Assembly proceedings was published in the Manipur State Gazette, part IV, dated 14 October 1949. Mr. T.C. Tiankham Speaker , Mr. M. K, Priyobarta Singh, Chief Minister and 6 other Ministers and Hon`ble 43 Members were present and adopted the resolution. The copies of the declaration signed by P.B. Singh, Chief Minister, T.C. Tiankham, Speaker, Arambam Ibungotomcha Singh, Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs was sent to the Government of India. But there is no reply on this issue during the last 65 years.

5. Once Manipur became part of the India, the Government of India dissolved the State`s Constitution Assembly in October, 1949 without repealing the Manipur Constitution Act-1947. This is another blunder the Government of India placed Manipur under `Part C State`. This was considered a disgrace to the state and the people of Manipur. Further it was degraded to the status of the union territory from 1956 onwards. In 1972, Manipur was elevated to the status of a state (or province) after a long and protracted struggle. Nagaland was raised from a village republic to Statehood on1 December, 1963 as a part of appeasement policy of the Government of India towards the Naga underground movement. Manipuris took it as a gross insult to the state and the people of Manipur perpetuated by the Government of India.

In case of Jammu and Kashmir, Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India had allowed to have (1) a special status under Article 370 of Indian Constitution in spite of so many oppositions, Ambedkar refused to prepare a draft of Article 370 (2) a separate constitution (3) a separate flag (4) a separate emblem to appease his half-brother Sheikh Abdulla, who was just a school teacher. In case of Manipur, he had done many things, which was detrimental to the general interest of Manipur people. His small statue at Imphal constantly reminded the people about the blunders he had done to the people. The existing Article 371C of the Indian Constitution is found to be extremely discriminatory and the source of all communal conflicts in Manipur which needs to be amended. We feel that you may be aware that the Indian Constitution was imposed on Manipur. Manipur did not participate in the Indian Constitutional debate held during 9th december,1946 to 24th January, 1950. It was never ratified by the then Manipur State Assembly. Manipur never asked the Government of India for constitutional amendment during the last 65 years. Among all the problems of Manipur, constitutional amendment to bring about communal harmony, unity, equality and solidarity among all ethnic groups of Manipur is the number one priority.

Considering these points, I would like to request you kindly find a permanent cure to these problem in Manipur and consider amendment of the Indian Constitution with the following provisions :-

1. The Article 3 of Indian Constitution regarding alteration of state boundaries shall not apply in respect of Manipur to protect the 2000 year old territorial integrity of Manipur.

2. The Union List and Concurrent list under the Indian Constitution pertaining to Manipur shall be taken up by the Government of India only with the concurrence of the State Legislative Assembly

3. Since 90% of Manipur is a hill area, Manipur may be declared as a Hill State

4. All the ethnic groups in Manipur may be brought under an uniform civil code

5. All the ethnic groups in Manipur may be brought under an uniform Land Laws

6. Any person from other states of India will be allowed to purchase lands only with the approval of the State Government to protect the indigenous people of Manipur

7. Any person from other states of India shall need an `Inner Line Permit` to enter Manipur on payment of nominal fees to protect the identity, culture, traditions, language, script of the Manipuris . Manipur welcomes all people from other states to visit Manipur .

8. The Pakhangba `“Sanamahi religion and other Tribal religions which are the indigenous religions of Manipur will be recognized as the other religions of the State.

9. The Constitution should provide establishment of an upper house ( Legislative Council ) with a minimum of 40 members with 10 seats reserved for nomination.

10 The Number of Rajya Sabha MPs should be increased to seven (7) on the basis of equal representation of states as done in USA and other countries. Large and small states shoukl dbe treated at par in the Rajya Sabha or Council of States.

11. The Manipuri script ( Meitei Mayek) should be included in the coins and currency bank notes

12. The followers of Pakhangba `“Sanamahi religion may be put under ` Scheduled Tribe category` of the Indian Constitution.

If you kindly consider these amendments and implement successfully , more than 90 percent of the problems of Manipur will subside.

Your sincerely

Dr. Khomdon Lisam
Former Superintendent of the
Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of
Medical Sciences, Imphal.
(khomdon,lisham@yahoo.com)

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/11/an-open-letter-to-shri-narendra-modi-honble-prime-minister-of-india/