Manipur in India's idea of a Nation : Tryst with destiny
- Sangai Express Editorial :: August 15, 2013 -

More than 60 years after India made her tryst with destiny, the same question still remains.

Where does Manipur exactly stand in India's idea as a Nation or a Union of States ?

A question which keeps popping up every time the largest democracy in the world prepares to celebrate her Independence Day on 15th August and Republic Day on 26th January.

An inevitable question, arising out of the foundation on which the very idea of India as a Nation was built or a question which has been thrown open by the changing political equations ?

Separatists, this is the term which the Government of India and the State Government have preferred to use while referring to those who have taken up the guns to wage a war against the Indian Union while to those waging the war, the term separatists is a misnomer.

A claim which rests on the assertion that Manipur was never a part of India and hence those taking up the guns cannot come under the term and understanding of separatists.

Giving a political meaning to a term and this may go some way in understanding the situation here.

Taking this assertion further, to the armed groups which have taken up arms, the term North East India is again a misnomer, an argument which again lies on the premise that Manipur and the North East region were never part of India, at any stage.

Stretch this a little more and one can understand the political implications behind the decision of the armed groups to coin the term Western South East Asia or WESEA for short, while referring to the region widely known as the North East India.

It is not only a question of terms but has more to do with the position of the region, Manipur in particular ,vis-a-vis Delhi or the Government of India.

A situation which has been festering after guns started booming across the hills and vales of Manipur and Nagaland and later Assam many decades back. Time for instrospection.

Misguided youths, is the term used by the Government to dub the cadres of armed outfits and 'returning to the mainstream' is another favourite phrase used by the Government whenever any cadre or any groups agree or decide to give up arms and come to the negotiating term.

An explicit demonstration of how Delhi or the Government of India understands or views the armed movement.

If not for anything else, then at least former Governor of Manipur, Dr SS Sidhu will be remembered for his famous line 'dissatisfied brethren' while referring to the armed groups in his message on Independence Day or Republic Day, some years back.

It was this line of reference which prompted the United National Liberation Front to respond with the call for a Plebiscite under the United Nations.

That Delhi and Imphal would ignore the call of the proscribed outfit was a foregone conclusion and in giving a quiet burial to a sensitive remark made by the Governor of the State, Delhi and Imphal said many things without uttering a single word. Vocal silence, is the term that comes to mind here.

True, Delhi and Imphal have been humming the peace tune and flying high the political dialogue option and in the process have managed to sell this idea to quite a number of armed groups.

The peace talks or peace process with the NSCN (IM) is now over 16 years, the cease fire pact with the NSCN (K) has crossed the decadal mark, a large number of Kuki armed groups have inked the Suspension of Operations pact with both Delhi and Imphal, the pro-talk group of the ULFA has started political negotiations with the Government of India.

Yet while the country as a whole will celebrate Independence Day today, Imphal will be a ghost town. It may be the same in some parts of Assam.

This is a story or a scene which has been witnessed for years now. The deserted streets tell a story of its own, a story with no end in sight and a story that has thrown up more questions than answers.

Not surprising for it should be clear that answers will not come in the absence of any sincere attempts to address the question, the question which has been raised in the opening sentence of this commentary.