Ongoing ethnic conflict must take centre stage at LS election

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh recently addressed the people of the state, urging their support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming polls. He highlights the importance of securing backing from the Narendra Modi-led central government, citing its pivotal role in resolving the pressing issues faced by Manipur. “To safeguard and fortify Manipur, we require unwavering support from the central government, and to garner this support, we must bolster the central government,” emphasized Chief Minister Biren Singh.
However, the prolonged delay in addressing Manipur-related concerns by Prime Minister Modi and the central government, coupled with the perceived lack of action towards ending violence and addressing issues such as the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement and the plight of displaced individuals, raises significant questions and concerns regarding continued support for the BJP at the national level. While the recent scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) may hold significance for certain voters in Manipur, it’s essential to assess whether this single issue outweighs broader concerns related to governance, conflict resolution, and socio-economic development in the region.
However, these questions seem irrelevant given ongoing nature of elections in Manipur. The recurrent observation of voters prioritizing short-term gains over long-term solutions underscores a deeper societal challenge of electoral dynamics driven by immediate gratification rather than a comprehensive understanding of political decisions’ broader implications. Moreover, despite significant transformations which have occurred in Manipur since May 3 last year, including social upheaval, displacement, and economic turmoil, the fundamental nature of Lok Sabha elections in the region will mostly likely remain unchanged. Many people will sell their votes in order to earn couple of thousand rupees and for some petty advantages without bothering who they are electing and they will complain later that why there are no capable leaders.
This stagnation suggests that political parties’ electoral strategies and agendas may not adequately address the ongoing conflicts and challenges confronting Manipur’s populace. While some may attribute this discrepancy to the entrenched behaviour of political parties, the responsibility ultimately lies with the electorate. The lack of effective demand from the people for the prioritization of critical issues, despite enduring hardship and trauma, highlights a significant societal problem.
Therefore, a question arises: Have the people of Manipur lost their rationality? Observing the electoral process in Manipur, suspicions arise regarding the influence of monetary incentives and the disregard for issues central to the community’s well-being amidst the escalating election fever while there is an ongoing conflict. If indeed it is the case, that rationality has been compromised, it presents a seemingly insurmountable challenge. However, acknowledging this predicament is the first step towards addressing it. Despite this bleak outlook, there remains room for hope through collective introspection, engagement, and concerted efforts towards fostering a more informed and rational electorate, thereby paving the way for positive change in Manipur’s electoral landscape. In order to pave this way, the electorate must pressure the candidates to discuss the ongoing conflict.