One of the biggest challenges facing Manipur is the question of how successful it has been in portraying itself as a State which is home to many communities and not the sole abode of the majority Meitei community.

This has became all that more important given the fact that a number of communities, other than the Meiteis, have started to brand Manipur as a Meitei centric State.

While the Meitei community has never ever pointed an accusing finger at any particular community the other communities have not hesitated to do so and this is one question that needs to be addressed sincerely and urgently.

To put the record straight, during the height of the anti-cease fire extension to the soil of Manipur, not a single word of accusation was hurled at any particular community and it was more than made clear that what they were against was the attempt to compromise with the territorial boundary of the State.

However it was different when the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur launched its 52 days economic blockade in 2005. During the recent Moreh skirmishes between two underground outfits, accusing finger was again pointed at the Meitei community.

It was the same story when it came to the rape of a housewife by two perverts at Churachandpur some time back. Even during the meeting with the Union Human Development Resources Minister, Arjun Singh, the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur had accused the Meiteis of trampling upon the rights of the minority tribals.

The divide seems to run deep and everyone today seems perfectly happy to go on a Meitei bashing spree.

Seen against this backdrop, what is needed is a serious self introspection by all sections of society, particularly the Meiteis.

Is there any substance in the accusation that Manipur has come to mean only for the Meiteis, by the Meiteis and of the Meiteis ?
Are the interests of the minority tribal communities being ignored for the benefits of the Meitei community ?
Are development funds meant for the hill districts being diverted to the valley areas, which are largely dominated by the Meiteis ?

These questions are valid and we think it should be addressed by the people and not only the Government. How successful have the many civil society organisations of the Meitei community being able to bridge the growing chasm between the hill and valley people ?

The onus of bridging the gap should lie on the people and the first step should be mutual respect for each other.

Imposition of diktats in the valley areas which will have no effect in the hill areas will amount to drawing a map which segegrates the valley from the hills and this is not only undesirable but also extremely dangerous.

Without mincing words we would like to put it that some civil society organisations, whose writ runs large only in the valley areas should remove the blinkers from their eyes and see Manipur as a whole and not that of the Meiteis alone.

This means that imposition of cultural and traditional codes, especially of the revivalism type on the people should be discarded at the earliest.

Remember Manipur is not only for the Meiteis but for all communities residing here.