Disarming all with eyes on normalcy Taking the right steps so far
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A firm stand and this is exactly what Raj Bhavan has demonstrated and so far there is nothing much to complain. After Chief Minister N Biren Singh put in his paper on February 9, New Delhi did not lose much time in rolling up its sleeves and came calling with President’s Rule on February 13, having put AK Bhalla in the Raj Bhavan earlier as Governor of the State. Just one week after President’s Rule was imposed, Governor AK Bhalla came out with a public notification asking all concerned to surrender illegal arms and the time limit set was 7 days. And from February 21, arms being surrendered or given up in different parts of the State began filling the pages of all Imphal based newspapers. Came the last day of the deadline, February 27, and all roads led to the 1st MR ground where members of the Arambai Tenggol (AT), the group which has been in the limelight since the evening of May 3, 2023, turned up and surrendered a total of 246 weapons. On the same day that AT surrendered their arms 61 other arms were also surrendered across the length and breadth of the State. Still not clear whether Raj Bhavan would be willing to extend the deadline of 7 days and give more time for other arms to be surrendered, but it is more than clear that AK Bhalla has set his eyes on target-the target being to put Manipur on the track of normalcy. And even as news of AT gearing up to surrender their arms started doing the round on social media, came the news that the illegal check post put up by Kuki armed vigilantes including militants at Gamgiphai-a settlement lying between Kangpokpi and Kanglatongbi and on the Imphal to Dimapur National Highway-had been dismantled. Prior to this, another bunker and check post set up along the Imphal-Moreh route was also dismantled. Disarm the people on either side of the clash divide and then clear the highways, seems to figure high on the agenda of Raj Bhavan and if at all there is any attempt to put Manipur on the track of normalcy then Governor Bhalla appears to be punching the right button. After 21 months, Manipur sees some efforts being put in at the ground level to work things out and this is precisely the reason why many have responded positively to the new developments. So from February 13 to February 27 and certainly some concrete steps, far removed from the high decibel assurances and ‘intellectual’ talks, can now be seen and one hopes the new developments are taken to its logical conclusions. For one, the step to disarm people on either side of the clash divide should be seen as the most effective measure taken up to silence the guns. The marching orders given to the illegal check points set up along the Imphal- Dimapur line is a signal that the National Highway would be thrown open to all sections of the people and this goes perfectly well with the earlier announcement of Chief Secretary PK Singh that the highways would be secured.
It will take time for things to completely normalise but it is encouraging to note that some steps have been taken up now. This is where one is left wondering what took Delhi so long to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and then act accordingly. With over 60,000 troops who were rushed in after Manipur went up in flames on May 3, 2023, steps could have been taken up to clear the Imphal-Dimapur Highway. That nothing was done to secure the highways is there for all to see with the Government seemingly more than satisfied with criss crossing the length and breadth of Manipur with buffer zones. For over 21 months Manipur has burnt but now with a new dispensation in place and a man who seems determined to put the State back on track with no baggage, the people would certainly be looking to the next few days to see what other steps are taken up. And this brings one back to the earlier question of whether the deadline to surrender all illegal arms would be extended, for remember the timeframe comes with the assurance that no punitive action would be taken up if the arms are surrendered within the stipulated time.
It will take time for things to completely normalise but it is encouraging to note that some steps have been taken up now. This is where one is left wondering what took Delhi so long to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and then act accordingly. With over 60,000 troops who were rushed in after Manipur went up in flames on May 3, 2023, steps could have been taken up to clear the Imphal-Dimapur Highway. That nothing was done to secure the highways is there for all to see with the Government seemingly more than satisfied with criss crossing the length and breadth of Manipur with buffer zones. For over 21 months Manipur has burnt but now with a new dispensation in place and a man who seems determined to put the State back on track with no baggage, the people would certainly be looking to the next few days to see what other steps are taken up. And this brings one back to the earlier question of whether the deadline to surrender all illegal arms would be extended, for remember the timeframe comes with the assurance that no punitive action would be taken up if the arms are surrendered within the stipulated time.