Dr Bimol raises state crisis, demands JPC probe
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 03 2025: In an incisive speech at the Lok Sabha on Monday, Congress MP Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoinam criticised the government for its silence on the ongoing crisis in Manipur.

Speaking during the discussion on the President's address, Dr Bimol expressed deep disappointment that the speech did not touch upon the severe situation in Manipur, where violence, social disintegration, and governance issues have persisted for over 21 months.

"I was expecting the President's speech to mention something on Manipur, very honestly speaking, because I thought that the government would outline through her speech the steps being taken by the Government of India to deal with the issues we have been witnessing," Dr Bimol expressed and accused the government of arrogance and a deliberate attempt to make the crisis "invisible to the rest of the country as well as the global community".

Appealing to the chairperson for extra time to express the "pain and anguish of the people" of Manipur, Dr Bimol contended that the government's response reflected a lack of inclusive politics and a disregard for constitutional principles.

"This government and their ideological moorings clearly do not believe in inclusive politics," he stated, emphasising how the crisis in Manipur exemplifies this exclusionary approach.

Drawing a disturbing comparison between the rhetoric of the current government and the Nazi-era ideology of "Blut und Boden" (Blood and Soil), he noted that the Prime Minister had repeatedly invoked the idea of prioritising the "colour of blood" and "relation to the soil" over other considerations.

"These invocations of blood and soil are what the Nazis shouted in the 1920s and 1930s," Dr Bimol remarked, warning that this exclusionary imagination of the nation leads to the marginalisation of communities, including Muslims, who constitute 15 per cent of the population but have no representation in the ruling party.

Describing the situation in Manipur as a national crisis, Dr Bimol highlighted four key concerns.

First, he criticised the subversion of the constitutional order in the state.

"We had the shortest assembly session in August 2023, barely lasting less than half an hour.

Instead of discussing the crisis, the assembly was cut short," he pointed out.

The state government, according to Dr Bimol, has been rendered powerless, with central forces disregarding the chief minister's orders.

"The chief minister says some part of Manipur is under my command, and some part is under the Union Home Minister.

Can you imagine the chief minister of Maharashtra saying Mumbai is under my control, and the rest of Maharashtra is under the Union government?" he questioned.

Dr Bimol described such remarks as an "illegal subversion of the constitutional mechanism," likening Manipur to a "banana republic".

He pointed out that elected members in the state have been publicly assaulted, and the constitutional order has been undermined.

"This is a complete subversion of constitutional order in the 75th year of our Constitution," he asserted.

The second concern raised by Dr Bimol was the violation of fundamental rights.

Citing Article 32, which Dr BR Ambedkar described as the "soul and heart of the Constitution", Dr Bimol highlighted the disappearance of a civilian, Kamal Babu, from the highly secured 57 Mountain Division garrison.

"If people are not secure even in military garrisons, who is answerable for this? " he asked.

The first-time MP lamented that Article 19, guaranteeing free movement, has become meaningless in Manipur, where even the chief minister cannot access certain areas.

The third issue was the state's failure to control violence and the rise of armed groups.

"The authority of the Indian state has been challenged by armed groups," Dr Bimol said, alleging that many of these groups were propped up by security agencies and had ties with political leaders from the ruling party.

He compared the government's response to the British colonial tactic of framing communal violence as inherent conflicts between communities.

Finally, Dr Bimol highlighted the severe economic crisis in Manipur.

"The highest inflation rate in the country today is in Manipur.

Small-scale and medium enterprises have shut down, and unemployment is among the highest in the country," he informed the House, while pointing out that the exorbitant flight fares from Imphal to Kolkata, which have remained double the usual rates for the past 20 months, is further exacerbating the plight of the people.

Dr Bimol concluded with a warning, quoting a philosopher: "If you want to understand the general, pick up an exceptional case.

Manipur is that exception that explains what is happening to this country".

He urged members across party lines to respond and called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the crisis and "do justice to the people of the state of Manipur" .

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