IMPHAL, April 25: Unlike in the past elections in Manipur, social media users are boldly expressing the desire for a “free and fair” election this time.
In the Outer Parliamentary constituency of Manipur, Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur of INC, Dr Alyson Abonmai and S. Kho John as independents and Kachui Timothy Zimik are in the fray. The second and final phase of this constituency will go to the poll on April 26.
One thing that has been observed is that, on most social media platforms, users want voters to be able to freely decide the candidates of their choice when they go to polling booths on April 26. Most of them expressed hope that voters will be mature enough this time round to take care of perennial issues of hurdles in time of voting.
Talking to Newmai News Network recently, an activist, who wants to remain anonymous, said that everyone must promote the real democratic political culture in the society.
A social media user said that if one desires a society to progress then one should believe in the dignity of people. “What I’m trying to say is that deliberations and procedures should also be bottom-up”, she elucidated.
Whatever may be the case and reason, one culture that has been prevailing for so long is the culture of ‘trickling downward’. Because of this type of culture, doubts have been overwhelming the people, thereby creating divisions and pandemonium. It is time voters change their attitude and perspective so as to see advancement in all respects.
As this reporter observed, people are much more mature now and they know what is what. Voters have been living in fear for so long, and it is time they come out of this situation. It is also observed that people are now longing to come out of the situation.
Another thing which is observed is that, the situation of Manipur is quite peculiar, and as such the situation demands multi-pronged approaches and measures.
One more trend which has been recurring is that, it is always the honey-moon affairs between the candidates and their voters in times of elections, and they continue to hobnob without any illusion about their relationships till the elections are over. The farce only begins soon after the elections when people start allowing their vision to be complacently limited to the viewpoints of those for whom politics is all about wielding power. Unless the voters change this trend, they are only laying grounds for authoritarianism to thrive is nothing but dismantling the tenets of democratic order. A society that believes the dignity of people should believe that deliberations and procedures are bottom-up.
It is also observed this time that, due to the prolonged practice of the above-mentioned culture, voters have made themselves, for so long, to live where ‘trickling downward’ is also a culture, which, perhaps, is not trickling down well. As a consequence, confusions and doubts overwhelm the people. This state of affairs, in turn, is creating divisions or broadening split among the people, thereby, giving rise for the spawning of more ‘leadership groups’ or the power centres. As the process of division accelerates, the focus of the society has become divergent and faint today. (NNN)
