Good but a failed attempt
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: September 11, 2024 -

IT was good in the sense that everyone got to hear it from none other than Lieutenant General Pradeep Chandran Nair himself, who retired from service as the 21st Director General of Assam Rifles on July 31, 2024.

But he failed to convince the people about many things he said to clear the name of his organisation, which has, been alleged of partisanship towards the Kuki-Chin communities in the ongoing ethnic conflict with the Meetei in Manipur.

In an exclusive interview With Kartikeya Sharma, the deputy managing editor of News9 Live, aired on Monday, Lt Gen PC Nair claimed that although drones or quadcopters are in use in Manipur, their purpose is not for offensive operations.

In the interview, he said, "Drones are indeed being used, but not to drop ammunition. I've checked with military sources on the ground, the Assam Rifles, and even confirmed it with the Army Chief".

He contended that much of the footages circulating on social media, allegedly showing drone-dropped bombs in Manipur, are misleading as "the pictures and videos being shared are actually from places like Palestine and Myanmar, not from Manipur."

While there might be some misleading pictures and videos, his complete denial of using drones by Kuki-Chin militants to carry out aerial bombings on the civilian populations even after necessitating deployment of robust anti-drone system by the security forces to counter attacks on civilians only goes to show the desperation on the part of the former DG of Assam Rifles to shield the Kuki-Chin militants from their subversive activities, which are only escalating.

If the Assam Rifles and the Indian Army, by his own admission, have already shot down around 30 to 40 drones or quadcopters during the course of conflict in Manipur, why is he ruling out the possibility of weaponing drones to attack civilians or security posts.

Can he explain about the recovery of 3D printed tail section of bomb' shells dropped by drones in Koutruk village on September 1, and subsequent confiscation of a drone from a Kuki village by security forces the following day?

What's more, by making such sweeping comments reportedly based on "military sources on the ground" and confirmation "with the Army Chief", the former DC is belittling the task of high-level committee constituted by the state government to probe into the matter.

He should not have forgotten the fact that the high-level committee headed by Additional DGP (Intelligence), Manipur Ashutosh Kumar Sinha as chairman and include GOC 57 Mountain Division, Leimakhong Major General SS Kartikeya; ICAR (South), Mantripukhri Major General Ravroop Singh; IC CRPF (Manipur & Nagaland) Sector, Langjing Vipul Kumar; and DIG, SHQ BSF Counter Insurgency (Operations), Manipur JK Birdi as members is yet to submit their findings.

Moreover, his comment on the composition of Manipur Police as if it comprises personnel only from the two warring communities has drawn strong criticism from the state police department and rightly so.

By making the assertion that "there is no Manipur police, it is either Kuki or Meetei police," Lt Gen Nair is sounding more like a spokesperson of the Kuki-Chin organisations, which have been saying at every given opportunity that separation between the Kuki-Chin and Meetei has been completed and hence they want a separate administration or a Union territory with Legislature.

As someone, who have had not only two important tenures in Manipur, first as a company commander in early days of his service as a major and later on as a brigade commander, but also written his PhD thesis on the Northeast with special reference to Manipur; Lt Cen Nair should be well aware about the multi-ethnic composition of Manipuri society, which is reflected in all government departments including the Police Department.

So, his attempt to clear the name of his organisation by rebutting allegation of unholy alliance with the Kuki-Chin communities, who want deployment of no other central security forces but Assam Rifles in their areas, has failed miserably.