Delhi's dilly-dally over Manipur crisis

Rajendra Kshetri *

“Every Man is guilty of all the good he did not do”- Voltaire

May Three. Twenty Twenty Three. Wednesday. Third Day of the Fifth month. Third day of the First Week of May. A Southern Revenue District of Manipur. A place named after the Manipur King Sir Churachand Maharaj, KCSI, CBE. Churachandpur. A ‘Tribal Solidarity March!

The day Honourable Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar paid a few hours visit to Imphal, Manipur. The day security was put to the highest alert in the capital city. The day security was (deliberately?) put to its lowest ebb in the southern district.

This day of the month of May was the day when certain forces’ inimical to the Idea of Manipur as a geo political and historical entity ignited the fire to tear apart the century old peaceful socio-ethnic relationship between two communities. A hitherto unseen agenda was unleashed and set into motion to balkanise Manipur.

An agenda covertly and overtly patronised and supported by, hold your breath, ten elected Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. It is on record now that these very 10 MLAs have demanded a ‘Separate Administration’ for the Kukis (to which they all belong to). For reasons best known to the Honourable Speaker of the House, they are not yet disqualified from the membership of the House.

The Churachandpur cauldron of May 3 have transformed the once peaceful State of Manipur into a ‘towering inferno’. The raging flame has claimed more than hundred innocent lives including security personnel. Properties worth millions have been destroyed. Houses have been gutted/vandalised/demolished. Permanent/temporary settlement have been uprooted.

Inter and intra community communications, social relations and bonding, mutual ties and trust have all been impaired. Internet services including broadband have been suspended. Thousands of traumatised lives, men and women and children are seen taking shelter in relief camps.

One can’t help wondering if Imphal of 1944 during the ‘Battle of Imphal’ days in the Second World War could draw a parallel to the May mayhem and its fall outs witnessed in the Imphal of 2023.

Imphal sobs and weeps and mourns for all the dear departed souls. Manipur Cries and calls for restoration of normalcy and peace. A State under siege. A society in mourning. Who listens ! Who cares ! Who responds to SOS from civilians ! Who intervenes to stop the rampaging violence !

Violence that continues unabated. Violence that begets violence. Violence that does no one no good. Who gains from this unceasing violence ! Who loses if violence stops ! Who tries to douse the fire ! Who adds fuel to the fire ! Who stops whom from dousing the fire !

Babupara ! Delhi ! Manipur has been burning more than forty-five days. The State is burning not only in the literal sense but in every physical sense of the term. Forty-thousand plus security personnel have been deployed to stop the violence, but apparently failed to put out the raging flame. Or have they really ? Have they really tried to douse the fire ?

Why is there a trust deficit between the security forces/personnel (who are supposed to act/operate impartially to bring the volatile situation under control) and the people (who should feel secured and protected in the presence of security personnel) ? For all the bravery, courage, efficiency and grit they had shown/showed in Galwan and Tawang, security forces here have failed (managed to fail?) to deliver.

While Babupara baulks and fumes, Delhi dawdles and fumbles. Known for its double takes, Delhi waited for over twenty days to take note of and respond/react to the Manipur mayhem. It took almost a month for the North Block to send the Minister of State for Home Shri Nityanand Rai to take stock of the situation in Imphal.

Even as the Junior Minister was situating the situation in the town, his boss Amit Shah, Union Home Minister landed in the capital city of Manipur on May 29 for a three day visit. Prime Minister Modi’s trouble shooter, as he is widely considered, Amit Shah came with a plan to put Manipur back into the path of peace and normalcy.

So he had discussions with the Governor, the Chief Minister and valley-based CSO leaders/Meira Paibi leaders in Imphal. He made full use of his three day sojourn by going to Churachandpur, Moreh and Kangpokpi–epicentre and sub-epicentres of the conflagration-where he met Kuki politicians and leaders of Kuki based CSOs and student bodies.

The Union Home Minister’s parleys with stake-holders at four different places were on different planes with different dimensions and seemingly different intentions. This is hardly surprising. Nothing extraordinary. This is “Brand Delhi’’, “Trademark Delhi”! This is Delhi’s forte and typical characteristics.

While in Imphal, say one thing; something quite different at Churachandpur/Moreh/Kangpokpi and once back in Delhi, say/act entirely different (for the benefit of the interpretations that suits Delhi Chanakyas). It must not be left unsaid, though, what Amit Shah said in Imphal. He did say that “the integrity of the State would not be compromised.”

Territorial Integrity ? Administrative Integrity ? Emotional Integrity ? Social Integrity ?

Shahji sounds non-categorical and left it wide open. His statement (on the immediate cause of Manipur violence) that the present crisis is a result of an order /directive of the Manipur High Court is too simplistic and far -fetched. On the question of ‘separate administration’ for Kuki as demanded by the 10 Kuki Chin MLAs, the UHM was non-committal (what might/could have he said at Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Moreh can only be guessed).

So, was the Home Minister’s much publicised 3 day visit to the strife torn State a case of ‘he came, he saw and he conquered’ ? Not exactly. More like a case of he came, he saw and he confused; if perpetual violence and acts of arson, shooting, killing, after he left for Delhi, are anything to go by.

The 18 point ‘Peacekeeping Initiative’, of Shri Amit Shahji, Hon’ble Union Home Minister have apparently failed to restore peace and normalcy in the State.

Back to square one then ? As far as Delhi is concerned Delhi plays best when it is the game of ‘double talk’ and ‘double speak’. The political jargon of which Delhi is second to none. Orwell’s ‘1984’ cannot hold a candle to Delhi ‘2023’. No match. No comparison. Delhi 2023 has introduced, nay, invented a new game : The Game of Silence !

The lackadaisical attitude of the UHM and his ambiguous statement has become an impediment to the process of peace and normalcy. And the perplexing ‘Silence’ of the Prime Minister for more than fifty days has made the Manipur mayhem more serious and graver.

‘Silence’ may serve vested interests of some in the Party and the Government. But it does not and never will serve the National Interest. When ‘Cross -border terrorism’ (emanated from the neighbouring Pakistan) was/is directed against the country, India, under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was/is never silent, rather responded with resolute actions.

When Manipur, an integral part of Indian Union, is facing ‘Narco-terrorism’ and ‘ Demographic terrorism’ from across the eastern border, why is PM Modi silent ?

Silence is not always golden.