The story of Naga People's Struggles in Manipur
- Part 2 -

Lakpachui Siro *

It is equally unfortunate that for long the State of Manipur has discarded the Constitutional framework and seems to have no respect at all to the foundational political philosophy that is core to the democratic society like India. Therefore, Mr. Gaikhangam Gangmei and other valley based political leaders should at least show respect to the basic rules which is envisioned in the Indian Constitution as far as representation is concerned and stop communalizing the issue the way they have done it after the recommendation of the Delimitation Commission.

How implementation of constitutional mandate can create "civil war" or "law and order problem" or bloodshed" as Mr. Gangmei along with CM Ibobi Singh claimed in your protest to the Delimitation Commission or to the Government of India in the Court? On the contrary it is my firmed belief that Constitution Provision and Guideline brings justice to the entire citizen as well as to various diverse social groups in India. Unless this fundamental constitutional mandate is not corrected, there cannot be any justice in the State. And the peace that the State Politician especially the valley based politicians claimed is an illusionary peace! It will not last long!

This differential power structure can be attributed to various social and economic unrest and injustice in the State. People may say that the hill people have adequately represented in the Manipur Governments by becoming Chief Minister namely Mr. Yangmaso Shaiza and Mr Rishang Keishing (second longest served CM in Manipur) but this does not make any difference in the way State Governments policies of the hill districts and valley districts are concerned. Just before Manipur hoisted National Game in Imphal in 2008 March, Mr. Keishing was the CM till December 2007 who was replaced Mr. Nibamacha Singh.

Most of the infrastructural constructions and work for the Game was done under his Chief Minister-ship but there was not even a single sport infrastructural construction took place even in his home constituency in Ukhrul district. Even today while the valley people play football on the grass which can be said to be National Standard but the hill people continue to play on the dust with full of pebbles on the surface.

Look at how higher institutions is established in the State. Forget about any professional educational institutional located at the hill districts, around 80% of higher education still locate in valley district which comprised only 10% approx of the total territory of the State. As an example the only lone College in Ukhrul District—William Pettigrew College—which is as good as without any college in the district; no student hostel, no functional library, no regular classes going on, no quarter for the college faculty, no functional laboratory, no transport facility, very poor college infrastructure and the list can go on.

If we look at the hill people representation is Manipur Central University it is very disappointing. Let's take the case of Manipur Institute of Technology (MIT) there is not even a single hill person in the teaching faculty! If this is how State policy has to continue, Manipur State does not have any moral right to oppose the legitimate aspiration and demand of the hill people especially by the Nagas for Alternative Arrangement (AA) outside the Manipur Legislative Assembly as the state has time and again fail to do its political duty and obligation to all its subject under the Constitutional framework.

And stop blackmailing the hill as well as valley people by playing with their emotion. Under the present Manipur Political Structure there is no justice whatsoever one may look at it, which is best exemplified in the way hill and valley districts are represented in the State Assembly as well through various State Governments policies that the people of the state have witnessed which promote distorted and lopsided development between the hill and valley districts.

The last point I want to raise is the Manipur Hills Autonomous District Council Act, if we remember, the hill people especially the Nagas strongly objected the 3rd Amendment Act which was passed in the year 2008 citing that it had negated from the principle of the original provisions guaranteed to the hill people of the State giving autonomy to their own affairs (Article 371 C). Autonomous administration for the tribals has a long history which dates back to the colonial era which was further reinforced by the founding figures of Indian State and the framers of Indian Constitution including the like of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the father of Indian Constitution.

Thus articles 224 and 224(a) came into being and this was further operationalized in the form of 5th and 6th Scheduled in the tribals' areas. Instead of correcting the injustice the State take pride in conducting ADC election in 2010 which was totally undemocratic. In the words of former Home Secretary, GoI Mr. G.K Pillai the election witnessed less than 2% of electoral exercising their franchise in Naga areas. Is this what you call democracy? The hill people of Manipur as a Scheduled Tribes, recognized by the GoI are entitled to and it's their constitutional rights to have Autonomous Council in the form of 6th Scheduled.

Here are some questions I would like to raise pertaining to the issues that I have discussed above.

1. How long the valley people including valley based politicians will continue to support unconstitutional power structure and representation in the Assembly?

2. Will the Hill People unite together to assert their constitutionally guaranteed rights? Or just because Thanlon and Tipamukh (both in Churanchadpur District) has the least voters per constituencies in the State with 18,539 and 17,591 voters respectively (2012 Manipur Election Commission report), the hill people will continue to divide despite of the fact that Churanchandpur constituency (within the same Churanchandpur District) has 46,927 voters in its constituency.

(Note: if we look at the average voters per constituencies Imphal Valley districts have a well balance average with approx 26,000 per constituencies but in many hill districts constituencies it is above 40,000 voters per constituencies barring Tamenglong District. Furthermore, percentage of population enrolment in the electoral roll is very high in Imphal valley districts touching 65% enrolment. Whereas in the hill areas especially in Naga areas it is not so, taking the example of Ukhrul District, more than 45% of population are not enrolled in the electoral roll. This means if enrolment percentage is at par with that of the valley districts then the average voter per constituencies will be much higher which will touch around 50,000 voters per constituency.

3. Will the Naga people continue to think that asserting their rights within the Indian Constitution framework is against the "Naga Political Interest" or should they see as part of necessary condition of peoples' struggle for right to self-determination? Leadership and people cannot be confused on this critical issue, if this prolong the consequences will not be desirable for all the stakeholders.

4. When will the Naga MLAs and other Hills MLAs should start representing the rights and interest of the people they represent in the Assembly irrespective of whichever party you belong to? E.g. why did the local MLAs and other leadership of Congress Party remain silent on the State Government illegal promulgation of CrPC 144 in Ukhrul on 12 July 2014?

5. Should the Indian State continue to "penalize" the Naga people just because there is a political conflict between the State and the Naga people? It is the cherish dreams of every Naga to live in peace and to settle the conflict as soon as possible with sincerity and mutual respect.

Let's play politics but within certain foundational rules and framework, in this case the Constitution of India which the Manipur State owes its allegiance and which is also the source of its existence as a recognized political entity in the Peoples' Republic of India.

Concluded...