Licensed to create mayhem ? Delhi, Imphal should answer this
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Everything that can go wrong seems to be going wrong. Just one day after a driver taking supplies of the Food Corporation of India was shot dead in a clinical ambush set up by Kuki militants (State police in a post on X said the attackers were Kuki militants) at Yaolen village situated between Leingang-ching and TM Kasom village on the Imphal-Ukhrul road on May 29, Manipur woke up to the news of the said road stretch being dug up, presumably using a JCB near Shangkai village, a Kuki dominated village and situated near Litan. And even as the road being dug up did the round, came the news of unidentified militants setting at least five houses of Kharam Vaiphei village on fire apart from opening heavy firing. All these happened within a span of 48 hours or two days and go back a little longer and Manipur still does not know the fate of the six Naga men who were taken captive at Leilon Vaiphei village after three Church leaders of the Thadou Baptist Church were shot dead along German/Tiger road on May 13. Kuki organisations have also raised the allegation that 14 Kuki men have been taken hostage at Senapati side but the difference is, while the Naga organisations, particularly the United Naga Council, Senapati based Naga People’s Organisation (NPO) and Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA), have not claimed that the 14 Kuki men have been released, Kuki organisations like the Kuki Inpi, Manipur have claimed that the six Naga men along with the others have been released long time back and they do not know anything on their whereabouts. The Sangai Express leaves it to the wisdom of the readers and the people to decide which of the two side has adopted a more humane approach and which side seems to be lying through its teeth. The situation is tense, very tense and on the political front it is interesting to see the Naga People’s Front, as a political party and an ally of the BJP led Government, coming out full steam against what it has termed the inept handling of things, particularly by the security forces. It is not often that one gets to see a political ally going full steam against a Government agency, but this is precisely what one sees in the outburst of the NPF. Lapses at the level of field intelligence and reporting, is the line maintained by way of a question by leader of the State unit of the NPF Awang-bow Newmai and this is pregnant with meaning. A line many would agree, for there is nothing to suggest that some sort of a breakthrough has been achieved though it was on May 25 that four suspects were rounded up in connection with the Leilon Vaiphei abduction case. What is the progress of the case, especially in the backdrop of the arrest of the suspects is the question anyone would raise, though the Government can always take recourse to the ‘nothing can be revealed at this stage of investigation’ line.
Nagaland Chief Minister Nephiu Rio is understood to have already had a telephonic talk with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the abduction case of the six Naga men. Rio has also urged the United Naga Council to prevail upon the people responsible to ensure the safe release of the 14 Kuki men who have been taken captive in retaliatory action. Here is a case of the Chief Minister of a neighbouring State getting up and having a telephonic talk with the Union Home Minister and one wonders whether anyone from the Government of Manipur has had the opportunity or been given the opportunity to air concerns before the Union Home Minister. This question is important in the face of the voice of angst and frustration raised by the NPF over the deteriorating situation in the State, first triggered by the killings of the Thadou Church leaders, the abduction of the six Naga men at Leilon Vaiphei, the abduction of 14 Kuki men at Senapati side, the ambush near TM Kasom village that claimed one FCI driver from West Bengal, the torching of houses at Kharam Vaiphei and the shooting of a villager at Konsakhul on May 31. Time for Imphal to demonstrate that there is a Government in place and stick to the under- standing that law and order is a subject that comes under the State Government and does not lie with Delhi. In other words time to assert the Constitutional obligation of everyone concerned. Remember the Chief Minister is the Chairman of the Unified Command. This position should be used.
Nagaland Chief Minister Nephiu Rio is understood to have already had a telephonic talk with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the abduction case of the six Naga men. Rio has also urged the United Naga Council to prevail upon the people responsible to ensure the safe release of the 14 Kuki men who have been taken captive in retaliatory action. Here is a case of the Chief Minister of a neighbouring State getting up and having a telephonic talk with the Union Home Minister and one wonders whether anyone from the Government of Manipur has had the opportunity or been given the opportunity to air concerns before the Union Home Minister. This question is important in the face of the voice of angst and frustration raised by the NPF over the deteriorating situation in the State, first triggered by the killings of the Thadou Church leaders, the abduction of the six Naga men at Leilon Vaiphei, the abduction of 14 Kuki men at Senapati side, the ambush near TM Kasom village that claimed one FCI driver from West Bengal, the torching of houses at Kharam Vaiphei and the shooting of a villager at Konsakhul on May 31. Time for Imphal to demonstrate that there is a Government in place and stick to the under- standing that law and order is a subject that comes under the State Government and does not lie with Delhi. In other words time to assert the Constitutional obligation of everyone concerned. Remember the Chief Minister is the Chairman of the Unified Command. This position should be used.