As is the case in the run up to every election that comes up at a given point of time, poll promises have become the major subject of political parties and the electorate. The recent slew of election promises announced by political parties in the run up to the Manipur Assembly election is therefore not unexpected. While election is a rare time for political parties and politicians to play humble pie, it will be interesting to see whether those seeking election will remember their poll promises and fulfill them once they acquire legitimate power. Making promises is one thing but it is quite unbecoming to promise the electorate the moon when this may not be attainable. As such, the electorates will have to remain conscious of the fact that such posturing of parties during elections is nothing but a desperate attempt to entice for votes without the commensurate fulfillment of such pre-poll promises once they get elected.
Against this backdrop, it is interesting to read about the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act becoming a major issue in the Manipur assembly elections with all political parties promising to withdraw it if voted to power. This is nothing but misleading propaganda for which the voters must act with caution. While a party like the DMK in a State like Tamil Nadu can deliver on promises of a colour television to each house without one, however in the specific case of the AFSPA and its withdrawal, the promises being made especially by the Manipur based political parties can hardly be taken as convincing. Only national parties like the Congress or the BJP will be in a position to repeal such a law if at all they really mean what they say during election time.
Even the Congress party has no moral ground to now say that it is “seriously and genuinely considering” the recommendations of the Jeevan Reddy Committee. This soft stand on AFSPA as can be gauged from the statement made by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi during her election campaign is poles apart from the earlier hard stance taken by senior Congress leader and former Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to the region only a few months back. So either the Congress party is itself confused about its stand on AFSPA or it wants to play safe and not give any clear assurance on its repeal. This is best expressed in the language used by the UPA Chairperson herself that while seriously and genuinely studying the reports of the commission the Congress led UPA government will do all the requirements in the greater interest of the people of Manipur. This at best is election rhetoric.
As such, the response of civil society groups in Manipur terming the fresh promises by political parties on AFSPA’s repeal as blatant lies to secure votes is a correct assessment and therefore voters must make an informed choice while voting on issues and parties. It is quite an irony that with the condition of social activist Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on fast for six years demanding removal of the act deteriorating, political parties are trying to cash in on this emotional appeal or in other words an anti-AFSPA posturing, which is an insult to the good sense of the Manipuri people.
