Mahatama Gandhi’s Satyagrah wouldn’t have work had there been a ruler similar to the present day India government. And we have seen that. Irom Chanu Sharmila’s 16 years of fast-unto-death protest against Armed Forces Special Powers Act was made useless by making it into an event of attraction and finally turning it into a mockery. The world had seen it and is seeing peaceful non –violent protests getting foiled when the rulers used shrewd methods. The protests in mainland India at large has remained peaceful, more so in non-BJP ruled states.
In BJP ruled states, the protests have turned violent and people have died. The videos surfacing in social media and new channels reveals people in police union are vandalising and even looting shops. Are they police officers ? There are police men without name badges roaming at the roads of Delhi, where the police is not under Aam Aadmi Party government but with Central Government. We have seen protesters who are stone pelting and even firing at the police. Who are these people ? Videos from Assam in its initial phases which turned violent showed involvement of right wing forces. The story must be more than that. However, the situation is already fishy. Police denied firing at all in Uttar Pradesh and Jamia Milia Islamia University. However, reports and videos surfaced after the events revealed that police fired at the protesters. Is there a method in this madness? If there is, then that method would be considered a shrewd one.
Loiyumba Sinyen, an ancient written code of conduct of the Meitei Society, tells the rulers of the nation not to utter contradictory things. It writes “Meidingu Apanba will not utter two irreconcilable statements. The outcome of making two conflicting statements is a national problem.” BJP’s manifesto and Home Ministers’ speech in the parliament clearly reveals that there will be NRC. Now Prime Minister is saying that there was no discussion on NRC. The Chief Minister of Manipur is waiting for instructions on NRC from the Centre. Is there an underlying method to this confusion ? Do we see an intention to perpetuate national problem by making all sorts of conflicting claims. Now we see more conflicting claims in NPR and NCR from the ruling party.
Universities have been converted into battleground, students were treated like militants, libraries were vandalized, voices of dissent have no place and any persons who raise voice against the government are terrorist or Pakistani agents. This is about mainland India. If this is the situation in Hindi belt, imagine the situation in a state like Manipur where armed forces are empowered to rule the people. Everything has been silenced. Attempts to mount any mass protest have been crushed with a heavy deployment of armed forces. Even a sigh of dissent is met with repressive measures. When the artists, musicians, film makers and eminent personalities came out on streets for a peaceful protest, it was met with section 144 in Imphal West for two months. Much more malicious measures would be undertaken if mass movements happen against CAA. Even a twitch would not be tolerated. This is a attitude with which people of Manipur are ruled over. While one stops to ask at this moment, the most politically potent question, what is to be done, we see the world slipping out of our hands. But this question must be asked nevertheless.
BJP Manipur, as a part of the all India campaign urging people to support the newly amended citizenship act, is organising a rally on December 29 in Manipur. While all these things are happening, Akhil Gogoi, the tallest of all mass leaders in the political scene of today’s North East, became the first person to be charged with the newly amended Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and now he is made to suffer. Maybe it is because he is a man of political integrity and courage.
