Increasingly seen as being partisan Finger of accusation
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The days since May 3, 2023 should have been more than enough to come to the point that no one from the Meitei community has been able to make an impact to influence the narrative, politically or otherwise, in the ongoing clash with the Kukis. Likewise no one from the Naga community has also been able to make a mark, that could somehow influence the way the Centre looks at things here. A reality which is easily discernible by just taking a look at the ground reality. It was back on April 18, 2026 that two Tangkhul passengers were shot dead near TM Kasom village, just a few kilometres after crossing Litan, as one moves from Imphal to Ukhrul. For days Sinakeithei village came under fire from well entrenched Kuki militants. And it has been days since the Imphal-Ukhrul road has remained blocked near Litan, at places where the Kuki militants are well entrenched. To the mandarins at Delhi, this may not amount to much for remember the Imphal-Dimapur road has been off limits for the Meiteis since May 4, 2023. Remember how the free movement call of Union Home Minister Amit Shah from March 8, 2025 fell flat on its face with hundreds or thousands of Kuki folks coming out on the National Highway to block the movement of vehicles. Even as one looks back at the distant and not so distant past, trouble and commotion has erupted on the Imphal-Ukhrul road, near New Heaven and Shokvao against what the people say is the conduct of the Assam Rifles. To get a better understanding of the situation, a reality check is in line. Given the situation on the Imphal-Ukhrul road, communities on either side have put up bunkers. This is where allegations have arisen that while the Central security forces have trained their eyes and attention on the bunkers set up by the Tangkhul Village Volunteers, the Kukis are being given a free hand to set up their own bunkers. And it was from one of these bunkers that shots were fired, which killed the two Tangkhul passengers on April 18, is the allegation. Yet nothing has been done to remove these bunkers, amd this where the observation that the Nagas, like the Meiteis have not been able to get their voices heard. There is no love lost between the hill people of Ukhrul and the Assam Rifles or the security forces, if one takes a look at the manner in which the security personnel swung into action to disperse the womenfolk who had come out to stage their protest against the conduct of the security personnel. Before the hills went up in flames, it was the Meiteis who raised a strong stand against the alleged partisan conduct of the Assam Rifles and now it is the turn of the Naga people. This is where one may seriously question the commitment of Delhi to resolve the crisis. Seemingly taking sides is certainly no to way to resolve anything, and far from it, such an approach has all the potential to make things worse.
This observation is made not without reason. Rewind to 2023, 2024, 2025 and come to 2026 and while the Meitei civil society organisations, including the meira paibis were and are still against what they allege is the partisan conduct of the Central security forces, particularly the Assam Rifles, the Kukis on the other hand have repeatedly demonstrated that they are for the Assam Rifles, with even some video clippings going viral on the social media. No direct answer is expected from either the Assam Rifles or Delhi but this is what is happening at the ground and if at all the Government is keen on ushering in a semblance of normalcy, then this is a matter that needs to be seriously studied. No normalcy can be expected when the very set of people who have been pressed into service to ensure the safety of the people are seen as taking sides and working to support one group against the other. At the same it is also stupefying to note that even after nearly a month of the 6 Naga men being abducted on May 13, the security forces have not made any headway in establishing their whereabouts. On the other hand, everyone knows the status of the Kuki people, who have been classified as detainees and not hostages, and herein lies the difference with the different set of people. Given the present reality, the focus of the Government, particularly the security forces should be on how to restore normalcy and certainly being seen as partisan runs contrary to any approach to bring about normalcy. Delhi should wisen up to this fact.
This observation is made not without reason. Rewind to 2023, 2024, 2025 and come to 2026 and while the Meitei civil society organisations, including the meira paibis were and are still against what they allege is the partisan conduct of the Central security forces, particularly the Assam Rifles, the Kukis on the other hand have repeatedly demonstrated that they are for the Assam Rifles, with even some video clippings going viral on the social media. No direct answer is expected from either the Assam Rifles or Delhi but this is what is happening at the ground and if at all the Government is keen on ushering in a semblance of normalcy, then this is a matter that needs to be seriously studied. No normalcy can be expected when the very set of people who have been pressed into service to ensure the safety of the people are seen as taking sides and working to support one group against the other. At the same it is also stupefying to note that even after nearly a month of the 6 Naga men being abducted on May 13, the security forces have not made any headway in establishing their whereabouts. On the other hand, everyone knows the status of the Kuki people, who have been classified as detainees and not hostages, and herein lies the difference with the different set of people. Given the present reality, the focus of the Government, particularly the security forces should be on how to restore normalcy and certainly being seen as partisan runs contrary to any approach to bring about normalcy. Delhi should wisen up to this fact.