It is another matter that Baruah did not live up to his words when Congress party led by his "esteemed leader" faced the most ignominious electoral reverse in 1977 Lok Sabha elections. True to his self seeking nature he deserted his leader following the oft quoted example of rats fleeing a sinking ship.

Apparently, not much comparison can be drawn between Baruah and Manipur chief minister, N Biren Singh except the fact that they are both from north east India. And there is more to it.

If sycophancy is any yardstick, the Manipur chief minister has sought to give the then Congress chief a run for his money. And their goal was the same - being in the good books of their Supreme Leader.

If it was Indira Gandhi for Baruah, it was Narendra Modi for Singh. It is a coincidence that both the objects of their respective adulation happened to be two powerful prime ministers. Singh praised Modi for his foresight and concern for the people of Manipur. But he underscored his contention which among other evidence does not at all
stand scrutiny.

The chief minister of Manipur showered praise on Prime Minister Modi for the implementation of the inner line permit, removing Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from the state together with renaming Mount Harriet in Andamans at Mount Manipur. These instances, Singh feels are pointers to the fact that the BJP ruled state is close to Prime Minister Modi 's heart.

Facts speak differently. Since October AFPSA has been reimposed on Manipur. Only 19 police stations in Meitei-dominated Imphal remain out of its jurisdiction. The chief minister cannot be accused of not adhering to some facts; he has only been economical..

Singh feels the people of Manipur should appreciate the concern his leader showed for the state. Perhaps the people of the state would not have minded had Singh's contention been more factual.

The facts indeed are "dark" against Singh making his claim outrageous. He is reverential towards a leader who may have had time to watch the one-day cricket championship final match at a stadium named after him at Ahmedabad but has not yet found time to visit Manipur which had been on fire since May this year.

Displacements, deaths and other horrors have been ravaging Manipur all these months. Yet the Prime Minister have only spoken twice in public about this strife in Manipur. The Prime Minister have not visited Manipur. Perhaps he may not have had the time. Legislators of Manipur have not been granted an audience by the Prime Minister. Arguably the same reason holds good for him.

The Prime Minister's acts do not quite speak of his heart bleeding for Manipur. Now to be on the lookout for the reason chief minister Singh is trying to paint a different picture.

If when chief minister Singh did not quite fiddle while Manipur burned, he failed to defuse a crisis engulfing his state. Though he has not been removed from his post, his continuance as chief minister depends upon the BJP leadership in the national Capital, especially Prime Minister Modi.

Small wonder, Singh is bending over backwards before the Prime Minister. He has little option before him. It has made chief minister Singh stitch up a narrative in which the arbiter of his political fate emerges as the hero. In so many words, his is a tall story. (IPA Service)