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It has recently come to light that
the powers that be in Manipur had a meeting to discuss some very urgent and
important issues confronting the smooth operation of the machinery. The said
meeting, a confidential but strategically placed source confided, took place at
an undisclosed and highly classified location given the sensitivity of the
issues discussed and the potentially fatal combination of participants.
The meeting was participated in by
representatives from all major power brokers of the state such as the
Politicians, the Police, the Bureaucrats, the Thikadaars (Contractors), the
Indian Military/Paramilitary, the Business Class and the ‘Freedom Fighters’
(Ima leibak gi damak katho aba kangbu).
This meeting came in the backdrop
of supposed protectors of society, like policemen/army personnel getting caught
carrying out some not too legal activities like trying to smuggle drugs across
the border into Myanmar or politicians apparently not being too honest while
declaring their educational qualifications before the elections and the
Election Commission finding out about it or policemen kidnapping businessmen
for ransom from the heart of the city and murdering them. Among the agenda
discussed threadbare at the conference were:
1) Whether to legitimise the
selling of govt. jobs so as to streamline the amount charged.
2) How much percentage to charge
from bootleggers like Mr. Chandu of Thangal Bazar and the folks at 1st
and 2nd MR for selling IMFL and how to distribute said percentage
among different stakeholders.
3) How much percentage to be
charged for awarding Govt. contract work taking into consideration the profit
margin of the different profiting agencies.
4) The hike in prices of
commodities esp. during ‘economic blockades’, again keeping in mind, the profit
margin of the concerned profiting agencies like the traders, taxing authorities
such as the Policemen at the check gates and the, ahem, ‘Freedom Fighters’ who
levy their own taxes on the transporters.
5) How to co-ordinate the smuggling
of drugs and other contraband across and from the border among the various
agencies so that embarrassing incidents like the ones cited above can be
avoided.
After much deliberation, it was
decided that, henceforth, all vacancies in various govt. depts. will be
consolidated and then sold at a standard rate from a kiosk to be opened at
Babupara, Imphal. The rate for different jobs will depend on the position and ‘earning
potential’. Giving in to demands from the SC/ST/OBC lobby, it was also decided
to give 15% discounts to STs and 10% to OBCs. Because of the likelihood of
demand exceeding supply, the jobs will be sold strictly on ‘’first come first
serve basis’.
It was decided that designated
bootleggers like the gentlemen mentioned above will be given due protection by
the concerned authorities. Keeping in mind the welfare of the consuming public,
the said gentlemen will not be allowed to hike their rates at random. Also,
efforts will be made to ensure that stock do not get exhausted so that the, again,
consuming public do not suffer.
In the interest of fairness, a
common percentage will be charged for the award of contract work from the
concerned contractor. This percentage will then be distributed among the
various profiting agencies. The modalities for this distribution will be worked
out by the representatives of the profiting agencies at a later meeting, the
date, time and venue to be decided after this current meeting.
It was also decided that from now
on, proper co-ordination will be done among the different agencies to ensure
that the smuggling of drugs etc across and from the border can take place
without any hiccups like the ones already mentioned above.
The meeting concluded with a vote
of thanks by the senior most participant who expressed his belief that such
meetings are absolutely necessary to ensure that Manipur remains firmly in
their grip. He also mentioned that it was in the interest of all stakeholders
to continue co-operating with one another. He thanked everyone for taking time
off from their busy schedules to attend this very profitable meeting.
Disclaimer: The writer means no harm to any living, dead or undead
persons or animals. Any resemblance of any of the participants of the meeting
to any living person is purely coincidental.
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