A thematic enquiry to The Trouble between Nagas and Meiteis

By:- Laishram Rakesh *

Nature of the Problem:

Muivah's homecoming is not the real trouble between Meiteis and Nagas but this real time issue typifies the unambiguous presence of tensions which have been perpetuating since decades.

More or less, the modern nationalist movements in the regions of Nagas and Meiteis have been more than 50 years old and there are no credible political solutions so far. Though distinctly and strategically, since its inception slight dynamism takes place in that of the Nagas except an end of positive solution. Besides Nagas and Meiteis, there exists many nationalist movements (some are pro-autonomists) established in the Northeast territory of Present India and similar nature of tension prevails among various major ethnic groups.

And in a particular context, Nagalim, the so controversial topic has been standing as the true conceptual territory which is a half-century old political agenda and now it is having positive circulations towards making a unified territory of Naga inhabited areas and slowly it is getting pace in its ideological campaign. Whilst, it comes as the biggest apprehension that has been disturbing the Meiteis, with its consequential re-arrangement and reciprocation to be anticipated to the amalgamation scheme of the Nagas.

Objectively, this structural change will eventually change the Meiteis and its cognates in their political characters and other societal integrities. This Nagas' ideal and collective goals suffer some inadmissible spheres of embellished political agendas to the sentiments of the people living in Manipur (the most concerned area in the dream of Nagalim), it may not be in terms of a comprehensive political logic or prospect but it does inflict some sort of turbulences psychologically.

In fact, it hurts the ideal pride and enthusiasm of Meiteis who leads the struggle, to some extent, for organising a composite political orientation (Manipur Nationalism). So, the cause of the worry is no more imprecise in appearance. Though, this Nagalim came under a new face in the new period and with a fresh momentum, it had been an objective vision since the time of Independence of Republic India. But since then, the controversial agenda has taken the consciousness of many.

Inductive Observations:

We can execute interrogations of analyticity upon the issue and its subordinates. Interestingly the observations can be scaled from variant thoughts and perspectives. Hence, we can induce to the most futuristic and probable realisation. Some hypothetical makes may look irrational and completely absurd even though it will have considerable importance as complementary factors of being engaged in dialecticism.

To begin, the problem has been inevitably observed by different viewpoints from different subjects which actually enlarged its complexity for an analytical study, compelling to its subjective influences. To be short and simple, it involves large number of factors so the corresponding issues. That is how it has to be a democratic debate again to ensure the egalitarian aspirations of the people.

India's Perspective;

Well, whether many movements regard the Indian Constitution with reservations or not, the provisional polity sanctions its constitutional authority upon the statutory entities of Nagaland and Manipur similar to those upon its other states. Even though, there exists another validity that restricts exclusive interest of politics for being in a situation of political variation. But, it is very a much to do demeanor of the Indian State to supervise from its commandment as its formality.

Conversely, the problem can be hardly addressed from the viewpoint of constitutional provisions laid out by the Indian State. The questions of Legality have nothing to be useful in determining such political conflict which is historically rooted and politically mechanised (as accused by many).

Indian state, more or less, is not acknowledged by many nationalist movements to reiterate non-cooperation in their resistances, ever since the state purposely failed to address those political variances for the sake of its protective integrity as a suspicion over its collapsible polity, which is inevitable owing to its fabricated nationhood if supervised jurisprudentially. The factors that prevent India to exercise its terms of legality over the issue are obviously the conflict situations which can be hardly resolved from constitutional aspects. So, India's role in such an issue may be very limited and strictly nominal.

Political Perspectives;

If it has to be addressed from the angle of political elements then the nationalist agendas of Meiteis and other ethnic groups (or Manipur and other concerned nationalities as a whole) will have to take the counterpart of the dialogue, otherwise neither the Government of India (or State Government) nor the civilians can formulate any objective debate or agreement owing to the conditional authoritative deductions of the Indian State and the people's marginal standpoint.

Moreover, there may be an attentive concept to exclude India's presence in the discourse to construct and realize a confederacy of a unified hypothetical polity, which may be a probable form of course with time and effort. And, the political subjects of different major ethnicities of the regions may align into a coalition political body as a subjective instrument. Then, issues of like nature and other agreements among the groups can carry out for common interest without real tensions, cooperatively.

Significantly, inalienable political agenda may have to be tabled in time by respective agendas and groups, so that the proposition holds realistic. To speak of revolutionary politics, historicism somehow explains the nature and material factors regarding development of a societal polity.

Thus ambitiously, in spite of all those laymen tensions, if Nagas and Meiteis suppose to admit and realise their close ancestral bonding and endorse the prospects of solving their political troubles collectively then there can be neither suspicion nor subversion in their agendas by one another in any aspect but it seeks a level of understanding and methodology which can be the ultimate fate of Nagas and Meiteis and also of the rest which will affect parallelly.

State Government's Standpoint;

The state government in present, if consciously recalled its time of formation, was a commitment to the territorial integrity of Manipur which was objectively assured after the so-praised incident of June 18 in 2001. Hence, logically it may be another compulsion for the state government, consciously or unconsciously, which is almost understandable rationally. So, with no matter this stance of the State Government might be a postulation from the complication, it can never have justifications over matters regarding those conflict issues as being an excused entity who even fails to acknowledged itself.

Peasantry Mob ;

The perceptual capacity of a layman may experience the situation as normal, fairly normal with respect to societal changes which are apparent and recurrent in history. On the whole, peasantry movement may turn the most vulnerable group to mob and violence. They can be the primary susceptible group which may be easily invoked with mere incitements.

So, instead, their innocent and dominant mobs can be used as a major exertion for positive course. And sensitively, mob controlling instruments may need to be employed to refrain from utter tensions and violence which will finally cost the expense of bloodshed.

Consciousness:

The resistance programmes to Muivah's visit in Manipur will never put our difficulties to solutions instead the reaction exemplifies the incapacity to frame a political principle where our agendas can accommodate in a long term measure. It predicts increasing magnitude of tensions which can never fulfill those political aspirations.

Really, mankind might have prevented many violence and wars of mistake which were mobs of subconscious and ignorance. So, the biggest shame of political history has to be violence and bloodsheds which are accounted regretfully.

Supposing an acute attention, the varying levels of political participation should be analysed in order to maintain the true and objective target of political culture. Whatsoever happened and continuing are almost phenomenal and rational however if we take in the concept of peaceful co-existence then we have still the opportunity, we can have solutions too and why not. Solutions are not just assumptions to the context, for that an impetus of strategic effort and co-ordination are necessary.