In a mess for over 3 years now Narratives of hate and lies
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The overriding sentiment is understandable. Given the situation in which Manipur finds itself in for over three years now, one can understand when hatred overtakes logical deduction, when the cry for blood and more blood mutes the voice of sanity, that is if at all there are any voices of sanity, but is this what Manipur really need ? A question to which there will be no easy answer for the simple reason that there will be arguments that the present is needed to clear the way for the future but what is it that needs to be cleared ? No straight answer here either, but it is clear that the demand of Manipur has been to update the National Register of Citizens, weed out all illegal immigrants and put a stop to the drugs trade, most visible via the large scale poppy plantation that one sees in the hills of Manipur. Another obviously is to take another look at the SoO pact. But the question still stands whether the demands put forth are the answer to the present trouble dogging Manipur for over three years now. What is there to predict or foresee that the present ills dogging Manipur will be answered if the NRC with 1951 as the base year is updated ? Will this measure ensure that all those who entered Manipur after 1951 will be dubbed a non-native, an illegal immigrant who entered Manipur illegally and is now enjoying all the perks and benefits of being a bonafide citizen of Manipur ? Questions at the moment, and the question of greater importance is, what is the stand of Delhi to the demand that the NRC be updated ? Why has there not been a single indication that the demand of the people has been taken note of ? What is stopping Delhi from committing itself to the updation of the NRC ? The silence itself is more an indication that Manipur will need to do something more than just demand the updation of the NRC from the Government. This is where the two indigenous groups of people, the Meiteis and the Nagas, would need to pool their thoughts together and see what is the best way forward. How about studying the circumstances under which the NRC was updated in Assam some time back ? Or if the Assam model is a flop, then why not study the factors leading to its failure or the failure for the NRC to fall short of serving the real reason for conducting the updation exercise. Has Manipur learned any lesson from the Assam example ? Or is the call for NRC being raised, because it is just the right thing to do ? The very fact that these questions are being raised should more than give the indication that something much more needs to be done if Delhi is to fall in line with the demand that the NRC must be updated to weed out the illegals. How about the SoO pact ? Is the call to abrogate the SoO pact something achievable ? A look at the reality and taking cognizance of the geo-politics in the region should tell its own story. How about raising the demand that the SoO camps must be inspected regularly and the findings must be made available to the people ? When was the last time any of the SoO camp was inspected ? The people need information on this and why has the State Government failed to acknowledge the need to keep the people informed ?
This is the job of the Government, but if one takes a look back at Manipur from the evening of May 3, 2023, it should be clear that it was the failure to show that there is a Government in place that led to the emergence of numerous power centres all over the place. The vacuum thus created was quickly filled in by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) in Churachandpur and the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) in Kangpokpi. It is also there for all to see and hear that since May 3, 2023, the Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) has allowed itself to be pulled and pushed by the powers that be whichever way they want. Power centres which have emerged everywhere on the ground that they are there on behalf of the people, and this cuts both ways. This is how Manipur has survived from day to day since the evening of May 3, 2023 and in such a situation, it is not surprising to see the voice of hatred getting more and more vocal. A reality this is, but does such a reality augur well for the future of the place ?
This is the job of the Government, but if one takes a look back at Manipur from the evening of May 3, 2023, it should be clear that it was the failure to show that there is a Government in place that led to the emergence of numerous power centres all over the place. The vacuum thus created was quickly filled in by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) in Churachandpur and the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) in Kangpokpi. It is also there for all to see and hear that since May 3, 2023, the Kuki Inpi, Manipur (KIM) has allowed itself to be pulled and pushed by the powers that be whichever way they want. Power centres which have emerged everywhere on the ground that they are there on behalf of the people, and this cuts both ways. This is how Manipur has survived from day to day since the evening of May 3, 2023 and in such a situation, it is not surprising to see the voice of hatred getting more and more vocal. A reality this is, but does such a reality augur well for the future of the place ?