Narendra Modi – a man who inspired a ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ promo!

The glaring reality is this: Manipur is an integral part of India. You know it. Everyone knows it. But it seems that the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the boss of Manipur’s Chief Minister N Biren Singh, has either conveniently forgotten this reality or deliberately chosen to ignore it.
This wilful ignorance brings to mind a ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ promo where Amitabh Bachchan, the show’s legendary host, posed what should have been a straightforward question to a contestant: “Which country is the city of Kohima a part of?” As 100% of the audience responded with the correct answer, ‘India’, the contestant retorted, “Jaante sab hain, par maante kitne hain? (Everyone knows it, but how many actually acknowledge it?).” Don’t you think, Modi is one of those, who had inspired this promo?
Today, this question reverberates through Manipur, a state beleaguered by violent unrest for over 80 days, leading to over 140 deaths, the displacement of 60,000 citizens, and over 5,500 reported incidents of arson. The PM’s silence on these broader issues is deafening, particularly as he chooses to focus on a singular, isolated incident of atrocity against women, in what seems like a strategy to divert attention from the overall turmoil in the state.
The collective anticipation and disappointment among Manipur’s citizens are palpable. The state looks for concrete action from the PM’s office. Civil society organizations, politicians, and ordinary citizens alike have all raised their voices, seeking immediate intervention and a resolution from Mr. Modi. His only response so far has been to send his deputy, Home Minister Amit Shah, whose visit bore no fruit. Even high-profile visits from opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi and others have done little to alleviate the crisis.
The callousness with which Mr. Modi, a leader who once managed to quell the flames of communal violence in Gujarat, is handling the Manipur crisis is inexplicable. Mr. Modi should have schooled Manipur CM N Biren Singh on how to control a crisis within a short period. Even as the newly-formed opposition alliance INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) demands a comprehensive statement from the Prime Minister, his continued silence stands testament to his apathy towards Manipur’s plight.
Given the pervasive violence and the apparent incompetence displayed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and other political leaders including those from the opposition, one may deduce that Modi alone may not be able to rectify the situation.
While we acknowledge that restoring peace in Manipur might be a herculean task for Mr. Modi. But, as the leader of the democratic government of India, a comprehensive statement on the Manipur crisis is expected from him. Even if his silence indicates his disregard for Manipur’s suffering and its status as an integral part of India, his statement would at least assure the people that he acknowledges their pain and is concerned about their welfare. While it’s apparent that actions speak louder than words, in this case, even words seem to be withheld.
Manipur has bled for too long, and its people deserve more than just political rhetoric. It is high time for concrete action from the nation’s leadership.