Lim demand ahead of LS polls : Study the timing !
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 28 2019 -

After the Lok Sabha elections what ? More importantly will a change in Government set back the peace process between the NSCN (IM) and New Delhi ?

An important question in the backdrop of the fact that the NSCN (IM) has still not given up its demand for a Greater Lim or Greater Nagaland, claiming large chunks of territory from Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh when the final deal is inked.

That the Lim demand still stands is an observation drawn from the fact that it was no one less than Thuingaleng Muivah who raised the Lim bogey while addressing cadres of the outfit at Camp Hebron on March 24.

The five days break during Yaoshang ensured that the said news item was not featured in the Imphal based daily newspapers but the news must have already reached most of the people, as newspaper houses in other parts of the country do not have a five day break during the festival of colour.

Now that Thuingaleng Muivah has openly stated that the Lim demand has not been dropped at all, it would be interesting to see how New Delhi responds in the coming days or how things transpire after the Lok Sabha elections.

Moreover what will be the response of the BJP led Government at Imphal is a question that would be interesting to watch after the Lok Sabha elections.

Moreover it can also be safely surmised that the Opposition, particularly the Congress, will not take things lightly and which ever way the poll wind blows, one can expect political parties rising to the occasion and going full pitch to assert their stand.

This is where the new found ‘love’ between the BJP led Government at Imphal and the Naga civil society organisations of Manipur will be interesting to watch.

Will the new found ‘love’ give enough room to see each other’s point of view or will it see a repeat of the past when the stand of the then Congress Government rubbed the Naga CSOs the wrong way ?

One may also question the wisdom of raising the Lim bogey at this point of time when the country is readying to go for the Lok Sabha elections.

The far sighted leader that he is, Thuingaleng Muivah must have studied the likely development thoroughly before he raised the Lim demand and this is where it will be interesting to see how the civil society organisations which have been batting for the integrity of Manipur respond to the call of the NSCN (IM) leader.

All enough indications that after the Lok Sabha elections, Manipur can expect to see stormy days and it will not be surprising if the Lim demand is used as a poll campaign on either side of the Lim divide.

To the NPF and the Congress the issue is clear but let it also be clear that the timing of the announcement by Thuingaleng Muivah need to be studied seriously.

By virtue of being the party in power at New Delhi, the pressure on the BJP can only be imagined and the public statement of Muivah can be seen as a means of applying more pressure on New Delhi to chalk out the final agreement as soon as possible.

Not easy it will be but the call behind Muivah’s announcement should be understood in its correct perspective.