Lessons on inter-state relations
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 14, 2023 -

IT is interesting to note that Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh has categorically asked the newly sworn in Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma to stay away from the internal affairs of his state.

This is the second time since the outbreak of the ethnic conflict between the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities in Manipur on May 3 last that Biren Singh has been compelled to give a piece of advice to his Mizoram counterpart on the reality of inter-state relations and administration of federal states in a democratic country like India.

In the first instance, Biren Singh took serious note of Zoramthanga, the then Chief Minister of Mizoram, who projected himself as "the guardian of Chin-Kuki-Zo tribes" and did everything possible to capitalise on the ongoing conflict in Manipur even to the extent of openly challenging the Government of Manipur by taking part in a protest demonstration organised by civil society organisations in Aizawl.

The protest demonstration was supposedly organised to express solidarity to the Kuki-Chin people in the violence-hit Manipur, but it turned out that shouting of abusive slogans against Biren Singh was all that the protestors could do to show solidarity.

Making known his displeasure, Biren Singh had asked the then Mizoram Chief Minister not to interfere in the internal affairs of another state and made it clear that his government would not succumb to any threat or pressure but will identify all the illegal immigrants and drive them out of Manipur.

The fact that all these developments have taken place after Chief Minister N Biren Singh reached out to Zoramthanga for help in resolving the humanitarian crisis in Manipur as the latter had successfully brokered peace deals in the past between the Centre and several insurgent groups operating in the region shows how the Indian democratic spirit of inter-state relations that call for mutual support and co-operation in times of need was simply thrown away in the air in the mad rush for retaining power by Zoramthanga, who, ironically, was shown the door by the same people he claimed to be championing their cause.

With the newly sworn in Chief Minister of Mizoram learning no lesson from his predecessor, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has yet again given the same piece of advice to Lalduhoma in response to a recent statement made by the latter asking Manipur police not to harass "his people" in the border town of Moreh in Manipur.

Mizos in Mizoram and Kuki-Chins in Manipur may belong to same ethnic group, but as Chief Minister N Biren Singh has rightly pointed out, "People living in Moreh are citizens of Manipur whether they are Kuki, Naga, Meitei, Meitei-Pangal or whoever."

So, being the Chief Minister of another state, Lalduhoma has no right per se to pass judgement or interfere in the internal affairs of Manipur without knowing what actually is happening on the ground in the border town, which has become a hotbed of illegal activities perpetrated by illegal immigrants pouring in from across the In-do-Myanmar international border following bloody clashes between the rebel groups and Military junta in the neighbouring country.

Of course, one may argue that other than adjudication of inter-state water disputes (Article 262), co-ordination through inter-state council (Article 263), mutual recognition of public acts, records and judicial proceedings (Article 261) and freedom of inter-state trade, commerce and intercourse (Article 301), there are no specific Constitutional provisions that forbid the Chief Minister of a state from saying anything on an ethnic conflict that has been going on for more seven months now in a neighbouring state, but it is an unwritten law that the basic principle of non-interference that the Government of India respects in its dealing with other countries percolates down to the governance at the federal level as well.

So, anyone who is really concerned about what is happening in Manipur today should lend support in resolving the humanitarian crisis so as to restore peace and normalcy at the earliest rather than poking his or her nose needlessly, all in the name of 'Zo unification' or establishing a separate homeland for the Zo ethnic tribes, which is not just tenable but would create more crisis that would have far reaching impact than anyone could imagine.