Sir
When it comes to politics, India has some certainties. For example: Political violence, and that’s what Manipur has been witnessing in the run-up to the assembly elections.
It is no news that Manipur has a history of insurgency, political violence, drug abuse and others. The state politics has been beset by volatility, defections and instability, which led to several spells of President’s rule in the state till the 90s.
Manipur politics has seen it all from betrayal to dethroning of the dynast party.
However, the recent incidents of violence in poll-bound Manipur have gotten out of hand. The news of voters being intimidated in the state was all over, but it somehow got worse when a candidate’s father and a candidate was shot at besides a bomb blast which killed two people, including a child.
This is what happens when high muck-a-mucks embrace insurgent groups for fighting the chair battle.
Being a native of insurgency-hit state (Manipur), I only hope that the future will be different and people will not fear to vote.
Hayley Angom
Shillong