Lessons from 18 Lok Sabha Election in Inner Manipur:

The election which happened in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency yesterday was shameful, and the ECI must acknowledge this. There was mass-scale rigging in Imphal by armed and unarmed men without any obstruction from security forces and the polling personnel on duty. It all unfolded under the watchful eyes of the ECI. Those who oppose such actions are met with violence and threats.
Some supporters of this rigging even argue that those who did not participate in fighting against the Kukis should not come out and say they have voting rights. To these individuals, we must remind them that the fight for our lives since last year has been a collective effort. Women played a crucial role, from blocking roads in support of defending villages to undertaking domestic tasks and raising funds. They are all part of the collective effort. In this war, many elderly women perished, some at the hands of the Kuki, and many succumbed to the mental and physical toll exacted by the conflict.
As for the men, from villagers to volunteers, groups of friends, different armed militias, seasoned militants, and random individuals, all have been alleged to have taken up arms. Many among them have lost their lives. Yet, only some from this vast array of individuals who claim to have fought in this conflict are now demanding that the Meitei surrender their right to vote, advocating for it to be handed over to degenerates who roam around wearing black and threatening people. These are the lumpen of Meitei society, lacking discipline, honesty, foresight, and, above all, ideology.
They demand that we, the people of Manipur, relinquish our adult franchise to them. They behave similarly to the Kuki lumpen armed groups during election seasons. However, both these forces fail to acknowledge what history teaches us. The people of Manipur were the ones who devised a constitution before India and secured the right of adult franchise. All men and women voted for the first time in 1948. Therefore, if they believe they can strip us of that right, they are sorely mistaken. They will soon learn the true meaning of the people’s will, for they try to take our will from us.
We must earnestly recognize that certain individuals who have acquired arms during this conflict have begun to wield them for their own selfish interests. They frequently demand respect from the populace through threats and even acts of torture. When these coercive tactics fail, they resort to blackmail, threatening to withdraw from the front lines. Such behaviour reveals their lack of genuine dedication. In stark contrast, those who defend their homes and motherland have no luxury of choice of walking away. They cannot simply walk away from their responsibilities. For them, defending Manipur is not a matter of convenience but a steadfast commitment driven by honesty and unwavering dedication. This ethos has been the guiding principle of those who have valiantly defended Manipur.
Indeed, it is paramount that as a society, we take decisive action to educate and reform these degenerates and lumpens, guiding them towards the path of upholding the fundamental principles of the Indian state, foremost among them being democracy. Without this crucial intervention, we risk failing not only to protect our motherland. If not done soon, we are entering into a world of pain.