Giving a free hand to terrorists ? Emerging pattern
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Apart from coming out hard against the Tronglaobi massacre of two minors and the grievous injury inflicted on the mother, what steps is the Government mulling to take up ? Chief Minister Y Khemchand responded swiftly and apart from condemning the dastardly killings of the two kids, has announced that the case would be handed over to the NIA but what other steps is the Government mulling to take ? Would a probe by the NIA be enough to address the sense of hurt felt by Manipur ? More importantly, has the Government taken note of the audacity of the people who decided to fire the rocket fitted bomb into a house in the dead of the night ? Terrorist is the word that fits the description of the people who fired the rocket bomb, and the natural question is, what is the Government planning to do about this ? And it should not need rocket science know who were behind the attack. The natural question is who or what is the power or authority which has given the terrorists to strike out at will ? Will Imphal be able to work up the needed conviction to raise this question to New Delhi or will it just be a case of the political leadership of the State remaining satisfied with whatever lip service Delhi may pay ? Things should be clear. Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked a lot about the arms looted from the police armouries in the initial days of the violence, but as repeatedly pointed out in this column, not a word was said or asked about the guns and bombs that were used to attack and kill the Meitei people. From where have these guns come from ? Given the strict security arrangements, ostensibly put in place, how do these elements manage to fire at will at their chosen targets ? The very fact that the Kuki militants have come under the impression that they are now in a position to open two fronts, one against the Meiteis and the other against the Nagas at Ukhrul by itself should say so many things. Shouldn’t this point be raised before Delhi ? And why have fingers of accusation been repeatedly pointed at the Central security forces, particularly the Assam Rifles, of siding with the Kuki militants ? Even if these charges are dismissed as mere allegations, isn’t it right for the Government to question why such an allegation should be raised in the first place ? First it was the Meitei community which raised this particular accusation and now it is the turn of the Nagas at Ukhrul district. Or will it be a question of Imphal not willing to raise questions which may be uncomfortable to New Delhi ?
The fact is, some elements are out there who are hell bent on keeping the crisis brewing. Shouldn’t this be a question which the State Government should be raising and asking at the right forum ? Who is going to benefit from keeping Manipur under a state of conflict and bloodshed ? The answer should be obvious to everyone and it is time for Imphal to man up and call a spade a spade. The dastardly murder of two children and critically injuring their mother in the dead of the night is something which should not be swept away as figures of casualties to be added to the conflict. The question that should be raised is, how did militants or terrorists sneak in close enough to fire a rocket bomb at a human settlement ? What were the security forces put on duty doing ? Does firing a rocket bomb need just the pull of a trigger ? How can activities such as choosing the spot from where the rocket bomb was launched to actually firing it go unnoticed to the security personnel somewhere near the site of incident ? What has happened to the, ‘you look after the valley, I will look after the hills,’ line of Union Home Amit Shah to the then Chief Minister sometime in the early part of the ongoing clash ? Another critical question is whether the office of the Chairperson of the Unified Command is still operational and if so, is Kuldiep Singh still in charge of the Unified Command ? What is disturbing is to note that the bomb attack at Tronglaobi came after Kuki militants had rained bullets at Sinakeithei in Ukhrul district earlier in the night and the nefarious design should be clear to anyone.
The fact is, some elements are out there who are hell bent on keeping the crisis brewing. Shouldn’t this be a question which the State Government should be raising and asking at the right forum ? Who is going to benefit from keeping Manipur under a state of conflict and bloodshed ? The answer should be obvious to everyone and it is time for Imphal to man up and call a spade a spade. The dastardly murder of two children and critically injuring their mother in the dead of the night is something which should not be swept away as figures of casualties to be added to the conflict. The question that should be raised is, how did militants or terrorists sneak in close enough to fire a rocket bomb at a human settlement ? What were the security forces put on duty doing ? Does firing a rocket bomb need just the pull of a trigger ? How can activities such as choosing the spot from where the rocket bomb was launched to actually firing it go unnoticed to the security personnel somewhere near the site of incident ? What has happened to the, ‘you look after the valley, I will look after the hills,’ line of Union Home Amit Shah to the then Chief Minister sometime in the early part of the ongoing clash ? Another critical question is whether the office of the Chairperson of the Unified Command is still operational and if so, is Kuldiep Singh still in charge of the Unified Command ? What is disturbing is to note that the bomb attack at Tronglaobi came after Kuki militants had rained bullets at Sinakeithei in Ukhrul district earlier in the night and the nefarious design should be clear to anyone.