Feeding lies and more lies : Understanding the lies
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 02 2023 -

Nobody knows how long the clash and state of unrest will continue.

This is despite New Delhi having already said what ought to be said.

Just recall what Union Home Minister Amit Shah had to say during the monsoon session of Parliament and how Prime Minister Narendra Modi more than backed the stand of the Home Minister by sticking to the line, ‘The Home Minister has said what ought to be said’.

Given that it was the popular demand of the people on either side of the clash divide for Delhi, read the Prime Minister, to speak out, this should have been more than enough, but no the lie continues.

Firing at unarmed farmers tilling the soilat the foothill areas-this is the line that has been maintained for long, and reality that is happening at the area that lies between Churachandpur and Bishnupur district under Moirang police station becomes clear.

At least five/six or seven killed in the last three days and this is the story that has panned out in the last couple of days.

As stated many times, Delhi and Imphal just do not seem to know how to tackle the situation and no one seems to have put in any concerted efforts to work out a formula that may bring the two warring sides to the negotiating table.

It is obvious that the ground is well prepared for lies and more lies to continue bombarding the people with the victim story- a tale that has been so deftly sold by those who have stuck to the separate administration line.

And it has been like this from the moment the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur announced the Tribal Solidarity March on May 3.

After nearly 120 days and one wonders why those who organised the Tribal Solidarity March on May 3 now no longer talk why the March was held in the first place.

Does not need rocket science calculation to work out that the ST for Meiteis demand was just a cover to take along all those who come under the ST tag but that it did not happen is there for all to see.

Just recall what the United Naga Council, the Tangkhul Naga Long and other Naga bodies have had to say after the Kukiland demand was given more push by the 10 Kuki legislators.

Those who stand by the idea of Manipur as a distinct geo-political reality should also wisen up to the machination that is at play to drag in other groups in the stand off and from a clash between the Meiteis and the Kukis, the efforts to drag in others by rechristening it as one between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zomi group is unmistakable.

Apparent that minute details have been worked out to drag in others in the clash and portray the Meiteis as the aggressor.

Stages may be read into the efforts to tell a story that would earn the sympathy from all.

First was obviously the fanstastic story of setting on fire the Anglo-Kuki War Memorial Gate situated about 7 kilometres from Churachandpur town on May 3 by unknown miscreants, the day Chura-chandpur was bristling with tension with gun wielding elements raising the war cry during the Tribal Solidarity March.

A complete silence on how Torbung was attacked, numerous houses set on fire and many forced to flee after the Tribal Solidarity March and how Imphal and the valley districts retaliated only after the attack and arson at Torbung spread like wildfire is an important part of the silence in the misinformation campaign to realise the aspiration of a Zalengam.

The complete silence on how the Meitei localities at Churachandpur have been levelled to the ground using bulldozers is a story which all the pen pushers who parachuted into Manipur and Churachandpur have decided to overlook.

Side by side with the selective stories that have been hawked, came the attempt to give a religious colour to the clash, never mind the fact that it was the Meitei places of worship that were first desecrated and razed to the ground at Churachandpur, Moreh and Kangpokpi.

The finesse with which the false narratives have been sold to the outside world should not be lost on anyone and in noting this, it is necessary to remember that Manipur is up against a foe which had everything planned, starting from planting their stories across the country and getting media persons from outside India to station themselves at Churachandpur days before May 3.

A point which New Delhi must have taken note of.