Heavy security bandobast ! Indifferent Delhi
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: January 24, 2024 -

This is for the first time that a cultural organisation, the Arambai Tenggol in this case, has summoned all Meitei MLAs to a meeting at the historic Kangla on January 24 and this again is the first time that Imphal has seen such a tight and heavy security bandobast in and around Kangla, at least in the last 20 years.

The heavy security bandobast has to be seen beyond the annual beefed security exercise that one sees around Imphal whenever Republic Day comes around every year and is in line with the reality gripping Manipur since the evening of May 3, 2023.

This is also perhaps the first time that a high level group of officials deputed by the Union Home Minister has arrived here with the primary objective of meeting the cultural organisation and in the process take a first hand account of what has been happening here since the past over 8 months.

To The Sangai Express it was some sort of a first, a surprise to learn that the high level group of officials deputed by New Delhi lost no time in meeting leaders of Arambai Tenggol straight on their arrival at Imphal and a brief report of the meeting on January 22, was added even as the report on their arrival had been finalised !

As of today, that is the evening of January 23, no one seems to know how things will develop, but the air is thick with tension, with many raising the question of whether the MLAs will attend the meeting lined up at Kangla and what will happen on January 24.

This is irrespective of whether the MLAs do turn up for the meeting or not.

To many it could be a case of heads you win, tails I lose.

Other than the brief points put up by Arambai Tenggol during the brief meeting on January 22, nothing is clear on how the Central team responded or how it will respond in the coming days, but it is significant to note that some points which have caught the popular imagination of Manipur were put up-National Register of Citizens with 1951 as the base year, delisting the Kukis from the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution of India, abrogate the Suspension of Operation pact with Kuki militants, deport Myanmarese refugees from the detention centres to Mizoram and replace the Assam Rifles with other Central forces.

Nothing new in the demand put forth, one may say, but the significant point is, these demands have been aired to a team deputed by no one less than Union Home Minister Amit Shah and this is where the significance of the meeting lies.

Manipur should be understood in the context of the reality here.

Delhi should not forget that over 200 people on either side have been killed.

Houses have been pulled down, damaged, burnt and levelled to the ground.

Thousands are still living at relief centres while many are missing.

Moreh, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi have been cleansed of all Meiteis and their properties levelled to the ground.

Take the series of fresh offensives at Moreh and it is but natural for the people to question what the Government is doing.

And the clash erupted more than 8 months back.

Yet Delhi continues to remain mute, a silence more than bordering on indifference.

It is this which is deeply disturbing to the people of Manipur and one wonders whether this reality would have sunk into the consciousness of the three men team from the Centre or not.

That such a question should be raised now should tell the story of the sheer neglect and indifference to the human crisis besetting Manipur for the last more than 8 months.

The indifference is what is hard to digest.

This certainly is not what is expected from the Government at the Centre.

Take up steps that would not compromise on the integrity of the country and Manipur and make this be known to everyone.

Chief Minister N Biren has already spoken his mind out on the conduct of the Central security forces and this is a point which should also be relayed to the three visiting official team from New Delhi.

For now Imphal looks like a besieged city and Delhi should acknowledge that it is their silence, bordering on indifference, which has led things to come to such a pass.