Unwanted tag to a Chief Minister in his own State

TS Khuman *

Distribution of Hearing Aid at Khuman Lampak Sports complex with CM Okram Ibobi on November 5 2016 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

The Okram Ibobi government is at it again. Being secretive and unable to govern.

At the fag end of its third consecutive term and in the face of an upcoming state election, everything seems not alright in the Congress house and the governance it is providing to its citizens is apparently shrouded.

The result was painful, spawning protest movements often violent in nature, and political voices to replace Congress in the next government. Both in the two major geographical divisions of Manipur, i.e., in the hills and the valley, the turmoil under the Ibobi-led government is ever increasing.

In the Congress house, party MLAs were meted out step-motherly treatments, resulting in veteran leaders abandoning it and joining the once dormant force BJP in Manipur. Two among the veterans are Yumkham Erabot and N Biren who joined the saffron party after resigning from their respective posts of MLAs. It is yet to be seen how BJP utilizes the two assets it recently bagged.

In Erabot’s case, he seemed to be frustrated since a long time. He was not even provided security escorts even when sought to bring back trucks stranded along the Imphal-Jiri Road during cabinet and CLP meetings. The MLA, who was then FCS minister, escorted at least 290 loaded trucks which were stranded along the Imphal-Jiri Road after an economic blockade was called by ANSAM in May 2010.

He took only a handful of his house guards, supporters and the media fraternity to bring back the stranded trucks. For his deed, Erabot was conferred the title of ‘Hero of Manipur’ by the public. Biren had also differences on the working of the government and he often made his opinion public.

In the meantime, an Ukhrul-based civil society organization has even declared chief minister O Ibobi as persona non grata in the Naga-dominated Ukhrul district, dubbing him as anti-tribal.

Post the declaration, the chief minister was ambushed during his visit to Ukhrul to inaugurate five projects in the district. Though Ibobi and his team escaped unscathed, he did not alight from the helicopter ferrying him and immediately headed back for the state capital in an unmanly manner. This has also raised a serious issue of whether he is the true leader of the state.

People of Ukhrul could not understand the urgency of chief minister O Ibobi to inaugurate only some projects when they have already requested that the ongoing and incomplete projects are ready for equal development of the district.

On the other hand, people’s urgent need were overlooked so often by the government, including when blockades were called and goods laden trucks were stranded. Immediate needs of the people during such times are essential commodities and the government did not take neither pre-emptive steps nor during the blockades to provide the commodities properly.

Delving into the Ukhrul ambush on October 24, it is to be noted that a day before his planned visit, there were attacks on security details in the district. The video footages that emerged on local TV channels and social media forums led many to question the functioning of the security personnel under chief minister O Ibobi and his deputy Gaikhangam, who is also in-charge of the home minister.

The first question raised was how has the law and order in Manipur deteriorated so much so that even the chief minister’s helipad in the district isn’t safe? This led to another offshoot imagination on whether some inside hands are involved in the ambush.

The imagination stemmed from the video clips and the bullet marks on walls which seemingly pointed out that the firing came from the side where many security personnel were positioned. Or in another totally different opinion, whether maintaining law and order of the state is beyond the scope of the O Ibobi-government?

Ten policemen had to take the blame and were suspended for security lapse in the aftermath of the ambush. While an ADGP was handed over the responsibility to inquire into the incident, demands were on to make either NIA or CBI take over the responsibility. Notably, Ukhrul residents were unhappy with the government’s tagging of NSCN-IM, a Naga outfit in peace talks with New Delhi, as the force behind the ambush.

Whether the real culprits behind the Ukhrul ambush were identified or not, only time will tell but the incident was a smear on the O Ibobi-led government as far as law and order is concerned. He did not even dare a second visit after the civil society organisation’s declaration that the chief minister will not be allowed to enter the district.

And then the government in a move, which looked like vindictive action, announced that Sadar Hills district, a long-standing demand of the Kukis, would be carved out of Senapati district, which the Manipur Nagas claimed it as their ancestral land. The Kukis have now said talks have been going on for the district in a clandestine manner since last year.

Working of the state government has frequently been on not open for public development works. Its sole aim from such secretive actions apparently is to take political mileage. The O Ibobi-led government may have taken up this action to garner Kuki votes but so far it has failed to make the district materialise and has kept mum on the matter.

Now, both Kukis and Nagas are inflamed. In fact, the government has stirred a hornet’s nest with the move and put a huge question mark over communal harmony of the state.

What the government has felt would be a grand step to cement the Congress party’s foundation by declaring the district could well be its swan song and epitaph during the upcoming state elections.