The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025, was projected as a decisive step toward restoring law and order in a state gripped by prolonged ethnic conflict, mass displacement, and political paralysis. Yet, four months into direct central governance, the situation on the ground tells a grim and disturbing tale. Far from restoring peace, President’s Rule has become a mask for administrative inaction, military excesses, and systematic erosion of democratic accountability.
The latest in a series of alarming developments is the June 19 attack on farmers at Singeirok paddy field in Phubala, Bishnupur district. According to reports, Kuki militants opened fire on cultivators, injuring a local farmer, Ningthoujam Biren, who was struck by a bullet on his left arm. What makes this incident even more appalling is its proximity to a former SSB bunker. Witnesses claim that despite the armed assault, there was no immediate response from nearby central security forces. Their silence — whether due to negligence, complicity, or political instruction — raises grave questions about the intentions and role of the central forces deployed across the state.
This attack is not an isolated incident but a reflection of a deeper, more dangerous pattern. On May 20, personnel from the Mahar Regiment stationed at Gwaltabi stopped a Manipur State Transport (MST) bus assigned for media coverage of the Shirui Lily Festival. The absurd justification for the interception? The banner on the bus bore the word “Manipur.” That security personnel would treat the name of the state as a provocation is not only absurd but a direct insult to the identity and administrative authority of Manipur. Such actions, instead of quelling tensions, further alienate civilians and expose the fragile and often discriminatory manner in which the crisis is being handled.
Equally damning is the continued presence of weapons in the hands of Kuki militants. Despite repeated assurances and deadlines by the Union government and security agencies, there has been little to no progress in disarming these groups. Thousands of high-powered arms looted from state armories remain unaccounted for. The Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement, originally intended to keep militant groups in check under a monitored ceasefire, has now turned into a controversial shield that protects armed insurgents while civilians on the other side of the divide are left vulnerable and unarmed. The central government’s lack of transparency on the SoO and its refusal to reconsider the arrangement — despite mounting evidence of violations — is nothing short of a betrayal of public trust.
President’s Rule was meant to bring neutrality and strong governance in a politically divided state. But it has only heightened perceptions of bias and deepened communal fault lines. The administration is seen as either helpless or indifferent when it comes to the grievances of the Meitei community, while simultaneously granting undue leniency to Kuki militants and their sympathisers. This selective enforcement of the law is fueling resentment, widening the trust deficit, and pushing the state further into conflict.
Even basic functions of governance — like ensuring safe farming, guaranteeing public transport, or conducting disarmament — are being abdicated. Farmers, who represent the lifeline of Manipur’s economy and food security, are being attacked in their own fields. The very forces deployed to protect them appear either paralysed or ordered to stand down. How then can the central government claim that normalcy is returning?
If the President’s Rule cannot even safeguard the lives of civilians or assert the authority of the state against armed groups, then what purpose does it serve? It is clear that this form of governance is not a solution — it is a political convenience for Delhi, allowing it to maintain control without accountability.
The central government must answer tough questions. Why has there been no meaningful action to disarm Kuki militants? Why are the terms of the SoO still protected despite flagrant breaches? Why are central forces turning a blind eye to attacks on farmers and civilians? And why is the civilian administration so powerless under central rule?
Manipur deserves peace — not press releases. The people deserve protection — not indifference. And above all, the state deserves a government that acts, not one that hides behind vague assurances and selective silence.
President’s Rule in Manipur has failed. The longer it continues in this ineffective form, the deeper the wounds will become — and the harder it will be to heal the fractured soul of this once-proud state.