The strange case of Kuki MLAs who wanted to go but didn't
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: October 28, 2023 -
IF not for the web of deception BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda has weaved around herself in an attempt to shield seven party MLAs, two of whom are Ministers, from among the 10 elected representatives of Kuki-Chin community who first raised the demand for a separate administration within days of outbreak of the ongoing conflict between the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities; the overstressed people of Manipur might have forgotten the issue, and the media jumped from unfolding crisis to another.
With a myriad of issues besetting the state that are directly related to their daily struggle for survival, the demand raised by the 10 MLAs belonging to Kuki-Chin community for a separate administration is, in fact, of least concern to most people, who are trying to piece together their broken lives and homes.
The same thing could be said of the media operating in a strife-torn state that has no lack of event and incident that are hard to ignore.
But the assertion made by BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda, who at first said that no BJP MLA is demanding separate administration but misunderstanding among the communities gave rise to the demand of separate administration, and later on put the blame squarely on some faulty policies of the previous government for the ethnic violence that has been raging since May 3 last with no sign of resolution, has compelled the people as well as the media to revisit the issue for better understanding, especially in the light of hundreds of people sacrificing their lives for the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of Manipur and thousands of families on both sides of the clash divide becoming internally displaced after their houses and properties were consumed in the fire of hatred ignited by some elements inimical to the idea of Manipur as a home to people of different communities who have been co-existing since time immemorial.
Now that the can of worms has already been opened by State BJP unit chief, it is incumbent upon the BJP government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh to make the people privy to the progress of disqualification process of the ten Kuki MLAs, which the Chief Minister himself had assured was in active consideration at the highest political level.
In case anyone, including the State BJP chief, needs to be reminded, the Chief Minister made this revelation while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of National Cleanliness Day observance held to mark the 154th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at GM Hall, Imphal on October 2.
The Chief Minister had even said that he was in constant touch with central BJP leaders, including the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, and that the matter, which is disqualification of the 10 Kuki MLAs who have openly demanded disintegration of Manipur, was being actively considered.
Unfortunately, no one knows what has become of this assurance today.
Prior to this, the Privilege and Ethics Committee of Manipur Legislative Assembly had served show cause notices to the 10 Kuki-Chin MLAs asking explanation as to why they made the demand and given June 16 last as.the deadline for giving their responses.
But nothing is known of what has become of these show cause notices as well.
So, it would be appreciable on the part of the Chief Minister to give an update on the disqualification process and the show cause notices served for the benefit of all, including the State BJP chief, who has now become the butt of jokes after the video clip in which she tried hard to defend the misconduct of 10 Kuki-Chin MLAs went viral.
Having said this, it is unfathomable why the 10 Kuki-Chin MLAs themselves do not call It quits if they feel that the violence that erupted on May 3 was tacitly supported by the government and they can no longer live in Manipur, and hence as representatives of the Kuki people, they "endorse their political aspiration of separation from the state of Manipur".
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