Imphal, Delhi : Losing the plot Burning since 2023
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In so far the conflict situation in the State is concerned, the Government has lost the plot, a truism dating from a long time back. This is precisely the reason why the situation has seen no change for more than three years and far from things taking a turn for the better, the conflict has expanded, with the Nagas being dragged in now. This is precisely the reason why the ‘Peace has started returning’ line hummed by the political leaders of the day sound so farcical. A sure reflection that the political leaders are not only clueless on how to deal with the situation, but are also hopelessly lost in so far as keeping a tab on the ground reality is concerned. Or is this line maintained just to toe a line that would seem pleasant to the power centre at Delhi ? A question worth raising, for the first and most crucial point to deal with any situation is to first acknowledge that there is a situation. Interpreting the guns going silent as the return of peace or normalcy cannot be further from the truth. It is also amazing that in over three years of the violence erupting, Manipur has not heard of the Government reaching out to the different political parties to discuss the issue at hand to see what steps may be taken up. Not surprising that different political parties seem to have given their own interpretation to the causes of the violence as well as on how to go about addressing the issue at hand. On the other hand, it is also significant to note that the Nagas of Manipur and the Meiteis seem to be on the same page in so far the conflict situation is concerned, so much so that they now use the same words or terms to refer to the radical elements within the Kuki community. How long this will continue is anybody’s guess but it is significant that the two communities today seem to share the same train of thought. The reason why this is so should not not be too hard to fathom for here is a case of the Kuki community not hesitating to open up a two front conflict with both the Meiteis and the Nagas. A look back at the distant and not so distant past will definitely reveal the common pattern that runs through all the cases of ethnic clash in the North East and it is surprising that Imphal has till now not been able to present a convincing story to Delhi. Or if Delhi is deliberately laying dumb, the failure of Imphal to call out the bluff and try to set things right must be stressed. This is what is expected from the Government at Imphal but so far there is nothing to suggest that anything along this line has been taken up.
Lost the plot. This much is true, but it is not clear whether this is due to the complexities of the conflict situation or due to a deliberate act, a deliberate act dictated by the compulsion of geo-politics. Again it could be due to the failure of Imphal to keep Delhi informed of the situation as it is, or whether it is more than satisfied with just laying the down lines which Delhi would want to hear ! If the latter is the case then nothing could be more tragic for Manipur as a geo-political reality, a place whose spot in Delhi’s scheme of things exist only as the gateway to south east Asia, overlooking the fact that Manipur can never be complete without its people, who are indigenous to the land. The need for Imphal is to thump the desk and let Delhi listen or else how does one explain the fact that a number of Kuki elements were ‘allowed’ to gather, storm a village and set houses on fire, all under the very nose of the Indian Army at Kanto Sabal, a place which is just a stone’s throw away from the 57 Mountain Division. Has Delhi been sounded on how a human settlement was attacked and houses set on fire right under the nose of the Indian Army personnel ? As a columnist wrote, the article of which was carried in the English edition of this newspaper, how did the Kuki arsonists manage to swoop down on the village crossing the security zone, when there are strict restrictions in entering sensitive zones ? Has the State Govt raised this poser with the security establishment ? Has this point been conveyed to Delhi ? Imphal and Delhi have lost the plot, no doubt, but the important question is why ?
Lost the plot. This much is true, but it is not clear whether this is due to the complexities of the conflict situation or due to a deliberate act, a deliberate act dictated by the compulsion of geo-politics. Again it could be due to the failure of Imphal to keep Delhi informed of the situation as it is, or whether it is more than satisfied with just laying the down lines which Delhi would want to hear ! If the latter is the case then nothing could be more tragic for Manipur as a geo-political reality, a place whose spot in Delhi’s scheme of things exist only as the gateway to south east Asia, overlooking the fact that Manipur can never be complete without its people, who are indigenous to the land. The need for Imphal is to thump the desk and let Delhi listen or else how does one explain the fact that a number of Kuki elements were ‘allowed’ to gather, storm a village and set houses on fire, all under the very nose of the Indian Army at Kanto Sabal, a place which is just a stone’s throw away from the 57 Mountain Division. Has Delhi been sounded on how a human settlement was attacked and houses set on fire right under the nose of the Indian Army personnel ? As a columnist wrote, the article of which was carried in the English edition of this newspaper, how did the Kuki arsonists manage to swoop down on the village crossing the security zone, when there are strict restrictions in entering sensitive zones ? Has the State Govt raised this poser with the security establishment ? Has this point been conveyed to Delhi ? Imphal and Delhi have lost the plot, no doubt, but the important question is why ?