In a short while from now, Rahul Gandhi the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), also an MP and also anointed as Prince in waiting will touch down in Imphal in a special aircraft. The 'special aircraft' bit leaves everything to imagination as that is how all official statements from the local Congress State Unit and media reports are framed. The trip to Imphal is to inaugurate a state level convention of ‘local elected bodies of local self government,' and to discuss the implementation of the 16 points flagship programmes of UPA in the state, organized by the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee.
On the ground, it does like like Rahul Baba's visit will be special indeed: the stretch from Imphal Tulihal airport till Hafta Kangjeibung, a public ground that lies about some 4-5 km from the airport is buzzing with security personnel. News reports mention about the State Government setting up 139 temporary security posts between the airport and the venue of the convention. The said posts would be manned by personnel of state security forces including those from Manipur Rifles, IRB and Manipur Police. Another set of 139 mobile posts are also being put into operation. Besides these, another 16 teams of police commandos from Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur and Thoubal districts will be engaged as reinforcement for patrolling during his stay.
The stretch between the airport to the venue has been all swept up, mopped up and dressed like a new bride. Aside from the party flags lining the roads, marigold flower blooms have been kept on the road medians. That they will disappear within the first hour of the VIP's departure from Imphal is given. The same spectacle happened when his mother was here in Imphal earlier! Hopefully, the Prince should hopefully not be confused over the signs and banners he sees on the road. The earlier 'big' thing in Imphal was the recently concluded Sangai State Toursim Festival and hoardings and road banners of the event are still on the main road.
When Rahul Baba goes get into town, will he be seeing Manipur and its people? Not a chance about that at all. First, is the fact that his visit is for a matter of a few hours. Secondly, all the security buzz has made the mango people scurry away from the main roads. Traffic will be diverted and there have been announcements on where can one drive and park. Passenger autos, the only form of mass private transport in Manipur have suspiciously trickled down today and it's probable that they have been asked to stay at home for the time that His Highness is in town.
Is there any significance for Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state? With no elections in sight, there is no political value. With no interactions with civil society organizations or any attempt to interact with people at the grass roots lined up, there is every guarantee that for the common man, Rahul's visit to the state only means a spanner in their daily movements.
The other bit for me is: is the expenditure for the visit borne by the Manipur State Unit of the Congress Part or is it a State Government Expenditure?
On the ground, it does like like Rahul Baba's visit will be special indeed: the stretch from Imphal Tulihal airport till Hafta Kangjeibung, a public ground that lies about some 4-5 km from the airport is buzzing with security personnel. News reports mention about the State Government setting up 139 temporary security posts between the airport and the venue of the convention. The said posts would be manned by personnel of state security forces including those from Manipur Rifles, IRB and Manipur Police. Another set of 139 mobile posts are also being put into operation. Besides these, another 16 teams of police commandos from Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur and Thoubal districts will be engaged as reinforcement for patrolling during his stay.
The stretch between the airport to the venue has been all swept up, mopped up and dressed like a new bride. Aside from the party flags lining the roads, marigold flower blooms have been kept on the road medians. That they will disappear within the first hour of the VIP's departure from Imphal is given. The same spectacle happened when his mother was here in Imphal earlier! Hopefully, the Prince should hopefully not be confused over the signs and banners he sees on the road. The earlier 'big' thing in Imphal was the recently concluded Sangai State Toursim Festival and hoardings and road banners of the event are still on the main road.
When Rahul Baba goes get into town, will he be seeing Manipur and its people? Not a chance about that at all. First, is the fact that his visit is for a matter of a few hours. Secondly, all the security buzz has made the mango people scurry away from the main roads. Traffic will be diverted and there have been announcements on where can one drive and park. Passenger autos, the only form of mass private transport in Manipur have suspiciously trickled down today and it's probable that they have been asked to stay at home for the time that His Highness is in town.
Is there any significance for Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state? With no elections in sight, there is no political value. With no interactions with civil society organizations or any attempt to interact with people at the grass roots lined up, there is every guarantee that for the common man, Rahul's visit to the state only means a spanner in their daily movements.
The other bit for me is: is the expenditure for the visit borne by the Manipur State Unit of the Congress Part or is it a State Government Expenditure?
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