Keep the people in the loop to win trust
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: October 20, 2023 -

IN a significant development which many critics have described as an attempt to demonstrate its commitment towards bringing emotional integration among the people by bridging the gap between the hills and the valley, a cabinet meeting of the N Biren Singh led BjP Government in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, which has been roiled by an unprecedented communal conflict between the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin community for close to six months now, was conducted in Ukhrul district on October 18.

This was the second Cabinet meeting held in Ukhrul district after a gap of four years but first such high-level meeting to have been conducted in a hill district since the communal conflict broke out on May 3 last.

The conflict broke out after a Tribal Solidarity March taken out in the hill districts against the demand of the Meiteis/Meeteis to be recognised as Scheduled Tribe (ST) turned violent in Churachandur district, before it soon spread to other areas dominated by Kuki-Chin people like Kangpokpi district and the border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal district, where the houses and properties of the Meiteis/Meiteis were targeted and forced the Meiteis/Meeteis living in the capital Imphal and other valley districts to retaliate.

Even if no major incidents of violence have taken place in the last two weeks or so, the situation in the strife-torn state is still fragile, with thousands of families on both side of the clash divide, who have been uprooted from their homes and hearths continuing to seek shelters in relief camps set up across the length and breadth of the state.

In such a situation, successful conduct of the state Cabinet meeting in Ukhrul district has shown that Chief Minister N Biren Singh and his Council of Ministers, who have been at the receiving end of the public anger for allowing the conflict to go on for so long, are trying their best to win back the trust of the people.

It is hard to say definitively whether this effort of the N Biren Singh led BJP Government to win back the trust of the people, who voted it to power for a second-term with absolute majority in March 2022, but are now disappointed over its inability to control the violence while there was still time and failure to find a solution even after more than five months.

After it was caught off-guard of the larger conspiracy at play hatched by some inimical elements behind the Tribal Solidarity March taken out on May 3, the state government had been literally groping in the dark for solution, and leaving the people to their own fate.

This has widened the trust deficit not only of the people on the government but also among the people of the two warring groups, so much so that it would now take eons to make amend, if it is possible at all.

Having said this, one can't help but to question, what the government has done or is doing for winning back the trust of some of its own cabinet ministers and MLAs who are as much responsible for the present crisis?

Conspicuous absent of two Cabinet Ministers belonging to Kuki-Chin community in the Ukhrul meeting is a sad commentary on the incapability of the N Biren Singh led BjP Government in the state to take decision independently for keeping its own house in order.

The last time people heard anything about the 10 Kuki MLAs/Ministers, including seven from BJP, who have raised the demand for a separate administration was on October 2 when Chief Minister said on the sidelines of observing Gandhi Jayanti that his government is considering their disqualification.

Before this, there was report of the Privilege and Ethics Committee of Manipur Legislative Assembly serving show cause notices to the 10 Kukis/MLAs with June 16 as deadline for giving their responses.

But no one knows what have become of these show cause notices.

Keeping the people in the loop has always proven to be the most effective way to win their trust in any given situation.

It would be good for the government to keep this mind.