Why is Delhi so smitten with the SoO pact ? Meaningful questions
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: August 29, 2024 -

Everyone, including Imphal, is confused over the status of the Suspension of Operation pact, which has been in force since 2008, but this does not mean that certain questions, however uncomfortable they may be, need not be raised.

There is a reason why Manipur has been raising the call that the SoO pact must be abrogated but it is more than obvious that Delhi is ‘smitten’ with the idea of inking a sort of a ceasefire pact with armed organisations which have never ever raised the call of revolt against the Government.

A point which even the Kuki armed outfits stick to, taking refuge under the line that they are not secessionists.

As a gentleman questioned on his Facebook status the other day, ‘When Kukis (the armed groups) are not secessionists, as claimed, do they need to have armed groups for any political demand under the Constitution ?‘

A question replete with logic and universality.

If what the Kuki armed groups demand is within the ambit of the Constitution, then where is the need to have armed groups and that too which have signed a sort of a peace pact and which has led to political dialogue ?

As the gentleman put it on his FB post, if at all the demand is within the ambit of the Constitution of India, then where is the need to sign a peace pact ?

This is where the very reason why the SoO pact was inked in the first place falls flat on its face.

And this is where it becomes more and more likely that to New Delhi there could be more ‘politics’ at work behind the signing of the peace pact.

As repeatedly pointed out here, the validity of the SoO pact expired on February 29 this year with no official statement on whether it has been extended or not.

And when a pact is not extended then its validity is over and hence the pact should no longer be in force.

This is putting common logic into words but this was negated by the very statement of Chief Minister N Biren on the floor of the Assembly when he said that the SoO pact is still in force.

The said gentleman in his Facebook post continued with the question on whether the ten Kuki-Zo MLAs have stayed away from the proceedings of the State Assembly for security reasons and if yes whether they have sought security from the Government or not.

Or if it is a case of not trusting the State Government, then what is stopping them from asking for special security cover from the Central Government ?

Or better still if the ten Kuki-Zo MLAs have collectively decided to stay away from the Assembly proceedings in protest against the brutal attack on one of the Kuki-Zo MLAs, then isn’t mass resignation from the Assembly a better option, is another poser raised by the said gentleman.

This would be a much more morally and procedurally acceptable mode of protest, suggested the said gentleman.

Questions which the State Government should have raised within itself and accordingly taken action, but as things stand right now, the BJP led Government at Imphal has deemed it better not to muddy the water further with doing what is morally expected of from them.

The questions raised on the FB post may have been directed towards the Kuki-Zo MLAs and the SoO groups, but it could very well have been directed towards the State Government too.

For all its tall talks, which have not gone beyond the buffer zones, it is more than clear that Imphal has not been able to assert its stand and accordingly lay down certain lines before Delhi with spunk and conviction.

A tough Government, a Government which is there to represent the wishes and aspirations of the people should have managed to work out the finer points that could and should be laid before Delhi with conviction.

Over a year now and till date the Government at Imphal has not been able to take any action against the ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, out of which eight are from the BJP, including those who ‘defected’ from the JD (U).

Delhi has been playing politics at the cost of Manipur for too long and as the Government chosen by the people to rule at Imphal, it is only expected of the BJP led Government here to take up things which concern the people and Manipur.

Even today it is unable to get a clear picture on the status of the SoO pact, a pact signed with armed groups, but which ironically have not raised any demand in violation of the Constitution.

And armed groups to pursue demands which are then legal ?

Goes against logic, but then this is the politics that Delhi prefers it seems.