The Erosion of Constitutional Guarantees in Manipur

The ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has laid bare the state’s failure to uphold constitutional guarantees that are the bedrock of any democratic society. The rights to free speech, life, and property – enshrined in the Constitution of India – have become meaningless in a state torn apart by violence, mistrust, and ineffective governance. As the situation spirals out of control, it has become evident that Manipur is witnessing the collapse of its constitutional and federal safeguards, with grave implications for its citizens.
In a recent statement, Bimol Akoijam, the Member of Parliament from Inner Manipur, echoed the concerns of many when he pointed out that the state’s rights under the federal structure have been consistently violated. More alarmingly, the rights of the citizens – the very people the Constitution is designed to protect – are no longer secure. This is not just a failure of governance; it is a failure of the state itself to fulfill its most fundamental duties: protecting the lives and properties of its people. In any democratic setup, the state’s legitimacy rests on its ability to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens. When these core duties are not guaranteed, the very foundation of the state comes into question.
The ethnic conflict, which has already claimed hundreds of lives and displaced thousands, serves as a stark reminder that the promises of the Constitution can ring hollow when the state apparatus is either unwilling or unable to act. For months, violence has ravaged Manipur, and yet the state has been unable to restore peace or protect its citizens. It has become a grim reality that life in Manipur is no longer safe, and property is destroyed with impunity. Communities live in constant fear, not knowing when or if the violence will end, while the state remains a passive observer in a crisis it should be controlling.
What makes this situation even more disturbing is that these issues are not isolated to Manipur. The failure to uphold constitutional guarantees in one part of the country sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of India. If the rights to life, liberty, and property can be disregarded in Manipur, then it begs the question: where else could this happen? The central government’s inability to intervene effectively further complicates the matter, as it raises concerns about the strength of India’s federal structure. The erosion of state rights, as pointed out by Bimol Akoijam, signals a deeper problem within the Indian federation itself – one where states are not empowered to act in the best interests of their people, and where the center fails to address critical issues in a timely manner.
Moreover, the collapse of law and order in Manipur has made it impossible for citizens to exercise their basic rights. The right to free speech, for example, is severely curtailed in an environment where dissent or criticism of the state’s handling of the crisis is met with intimidation or worse. Without these guarantees, the very idea of democracy begins to unravel. In the absence of constitutional safeguards, citizens are left vulnerable to violence, with no recourse to justice or protection.
The Indian Constitution, which is supposed to serve as a guarantor of those rights, is being systematically undermined in Manipur, with dire consequences for the state’s future. The longer the conflict continues, the more entrenched these failures become, making it increasingly difficult to restore order, rebuild trust, and guarantee the constitutional rights of every citizen.
Ultimately, the state’s inability to guarantee the security of life and property has created an atmosphere of lawlessness. This is not just a failure of governance – it is a failure of the very contract between the state and its citizens. Without constitutional adherence, Manipur risks further fragmentation, and its people remain trapped in a cycle of violence and fear, abandoned by the institutions meant to protect them.