Numerous issues facing Manipur : Political instability
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 21 2019 -

Political instability-this is the last thing the State needs at the moment, and this observation stems from the fact that there are so many issues which could rock Manipur anytime in the coming days.

The Parliament session is on and as the BJP announced much ahead of the just held Lok Sabha elections, the Citizenship Amendment Bill will be passed if it is voted back to power.

The people did vote back the BJP to power by a huge margin, with the voters in the Inner Parliamentary Constituency ensuring that the BJP candidate, RK Ranjan is voted to the Lok Sabha.

Does this then say that the people, especially from the Inner Parliamentary Constituency do not have anything against the CAB and hence there will be no backlash when the Bill is passed in the Lok Sabha during the current session ?

Tough to say at the moment, but as Ningthouja Lancha of the North East Forum for Indigenous People (NEFIP), pointed out the other day during a press conference, the BJP candidate may have won but the total vote polled by other candidates who are against CAB is far greater than the votes polled by the BJP candidate and hence it would be wrong to say that the people have backed the stand of the BJP.

How things will unfold in the coming days is best left to the future, but this is a sure indication that Manipur cannot be plagued by political instability when an important and sensitive Bill such as CAB is most likely to be tabled on the floor of the Parliament.

On the other hand, Manipur would need a strong Government at Imphal if and when a final deal is inked with the NSCN (IM), which may be anytime in the near future.

Not very clear what the Centre conveyed to the number of MLAs who camped at Delhi for days, but with the two key players, Chief Minister N Biren and IPR Minister Th Biswajit back home, things seem to have quietened down somewhat.

Can this be taken to mean the proverbial lull before the storm or is it a case of the Centre able to drill better sense into the heads of everyone ?

The point is the State cannot afford to be caught in a climate of political instability when so many crucial issues are yet to be addressed.

Other than CAB and the ongoing political dialogue between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India under the shadow of the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015, there are other issues which can rear its head anytime in the coming days.

At what stage is the Manipur People Bill, passed by the State Assembly some time back ?

Will it meet the nod of the President of India to become an Act, or will the State Government be again pressured to prepare another Bill to check the inflow of non-locals into the soil of Manipur ?

How about the boundary row between Tamenglong and Jiribam districts ?

Has the Government been in a position to study the diametrically opposing view points put up by people of the two districts ?

What is the genesis of the boundary row ?

Is it a fallout of the decision of the previous Government to create new districts ?

Has the boundary line been clearly demarcated between Senapati and Kangpokpi now that the latter is a district.

These are but just some points which come to mind but important for those in the corridors of power not to forget that Manipur cannot afford another round of political instability.