The wolves in sheep's clothing among the Kukis
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: December 18, 2023 -

AFTER the initial rude shock and disbelief that led to some angry people locking down the office of Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM), the cloud of confusion surrounding several schools in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts of Manipur found to have got affiliation with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi amidst the ethnic conflict that has been raging on between the Meitei/Meetei and Kuki-Chin communities in the tiny northeastern Indian state since May 3 last seems to be slowly clearing up.

Day after Joint Secretary of Government of Manipur Anjali Chongtham clarified that the state government had not issued any 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) for the affiliation of any educational institution in the state with the CBSE since May 2020, initial finding of an investigation into the matter conducted by Education Minister Th Basanta Kumar on Saturday along with the secretary of the Ministry of Education and chairman of CBSE has revealed that fake NOCs with forged signatures of ZEOs concerned were used in seeking the CBSE affiliation of these schools.

The matter first came to light after Dr Lamtinthang Haokip, a self-styled leader of Kuki-Chin community who contested in the last election to the Manipur Legislative Assembly from Saitu Assembly Constituency as a candidate of Congress party and is now very active on social media in raising the demand for a separate administration for the Kuki-Chin people, shared the information about 20 educational institutions (High schools & Secondary Schools) from Churachandpur and 16 from Kangpokpi "successfully" affiliated to CBSE on the micro-blogging site X on December 14, that is, last Thursday.

A couple of days after sharing the information, Dr Lamtinthang deleted his account on X without any explanation.

But little did he realised that the proverbial can of worms has already been opened, setting in motion a critical scrutiny on the activities of some people like him who are nothing less than wolves in sheep's clothing in instigating the innocent Kuki-Chin people, especially the youngsters to take up arms for a lost cause.

While forging of signatures and government documents is a serious offence that can lead to criminal charges and legal consequences under Section 465 of IPC, and so, the law enforcement agencies should pursue the matter to its logical end and pull up the culprits for ensuring necessary punishment, this incident has also fortunately served as a confirmation of the suspicious that the current conflict in Manipur was a well-planned strategy executed by some Kuki-Chin leaders with vested interest.

Contrary to the claim made by Dr Lamtinthang of 20 educational institutions from Churachandpur and 16 from Kangpokpi affiliated to CBSE, the official investigation team led by Education Minister Th Basanta Kumar is said to found 25 schools from Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts getting affiliation with CBSE recently.

And, of these 25 schools, 10 of them received affiliation a few months before the crisis broke out on May 3 last and 15 schools amid the crisis period.

As per the Affiliation By-Laws of CBSE, the last date for submission of application seeking affiliation is 31st March of the year preceding the year in which class VIII, IX, XI is proposed to be started.

If some of the educational institutions in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts which are functioning under the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSM) and Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (CoHSEM) got the affiliation with CBSE without the requisite "formal prior Recognition Certificate from the Education Department of the particular State Government" and the "No Objection Certificate" a few months before the crisis broke out, then one could easily conclude that the proponents of separate administration for Kuki-Chin people have been trying to work out everything in advance even to the extent of shelling out Rs 1,50,000 to Rs 2,50,00 per school depending in the case for affiliation with CBSE.

Having said this, one also couldn't help but wonder of the "highly transparent and robust system of affiliation" that the CBSE is said to have developed in accordance with the guidelines of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, when it could be so easily misled by some wolves in sheep's clothing from among the Kuki-Chin community who have no qualm about not just instigating their own youngsters to take up arms for a lost cause but also endanger their academic careers.