BJP in damage control mode amid endless violence
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: June 20, 2023 -
AS Manipur continues to witness firing incidents in areas where gunfights had already been reported multiple times in the first week of May month, there is no doubt that the visit by Union home minister Amit Shah to the state or his assurance to work for return of peace has been bearing no fruit but has only emboldened the opposition and non-BJP political parties to question commitment of the Union government in ending the conflict between the two communities.
Amid the crisis situation, the letter by UKLF, a Kuki armed outfit under suspension of operation (SoO), addressed to Amit Shah has kicked up a storm consequently cornering the BJP with some major political organisations raising the demand for investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and others criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for maintaining stoic silence in-spite of the violence raging for nearly two months.
As the Prime Minister is known for tough talking and adopting aggressive stand whenever there is terrorist-related incidents anywhere in the country, there is substance in the oppositions’ tirade against him as there is strong indication about involvement of external elements in attacking the peripheral Meetei villages.
No doubt, the Meetei community too has been either defending their villages with use of both licensed firearms and unauthorised weapons, probably snatched from state forces, or launching counter-offensive and destroying Kuki villages, due to suspicious inaction by central forces in-spite of the skirmishes occurring close to their permanent camps or posts established on temporary basis in the aftermath of the ethnic violence.
As the UKLF letter specified an agreement the outfit and another armed Kuki group reached with two prominent BJP leaders, there is growing suspicion that the central forces might have been directed to exercise maximum restraint even if the gunfights occur within their operational jurisdiction.
Revelation of the covert agreement by India Today North East, that allegedly solicited support of Kuki outfits to BJP candidates in assembly and parliamentary elections, not only lends credence to the demand by Meetei villages and civil organisations to remove central para-military forces, which have been deployed in the state for decades, and most probably know all legitimate and illegal activities, and operate under the command of the Ministry of Home Affairs, from the state but also deepens the suspicion that Amit Shah’s visit was only for formality.
Moreover, with exception of BJP Manipur Pradesh spokesperson Elangbam Johnson clarifying on June 17 that the party never sought support from unlawful elements, top leaders of the party are yet to negate UKLF chief SS Haokip’s claim that the armed organisation helped BJP in the assembly election conducted in 2017.
On the other-hand, a delegation of Manipur BJP legislators calling on defence minister Rajnath Singh at the national capital on Monday could be construed as validation of the Meetei people’s apprehension about external elements joining ranks with the Kuki militants in targeting Meetei villages.
Though the BJP legislators’ move seem part of the party’s damage control exercise vis-a-vis the UKLF missive, apprising the defence ministry might help in checking infiltration of armed elements from across the border and facilitate contain the violence.
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