The scariest statement of a security personal in Manipur in recent times is “kill any militant having firearms”. This was expressed by one DG, CRPF to his team. Can any responsible security officer speak like this? Can he order anyone to kill? He continues in the same tone that “all the subsequent legal actions would be taken care of” by him. Meaning, he is the authority to order to kill any one and he can handle all the legal matters. This is just opposite to any civilized legal theory and procedure. Unfortunately, scariest statement itself is reflection of a mindset while dealing with the peoples of this part of India.
This part of India is facing cycles of violence for last three years. Each cycle of violence shows the incompetency of government in dealing with the agitating peoples and shows insensitive attitude of government officials.
Their failures in controlling the violence is hidden behind blames of different colors on ethnic groups, previous administrators or history. One popular government failed; it was followed by one President Rule which also did not bring any visible change in strategy and tactics of fighting the cycle of violence. President Rule was followed by another popular government led by Mr Yumnam Khemchand. Do we find ourselves free from the cycle of violence? Rather a new dimension of violence was added during this second popular government within a single term of election. In a situation where unemployment is compounded with the ugliness of ethnicity, Manipur is facing downsizing of ministers. The State Government could not help itself because the failing state is selling new hopes. In 2023, the then Government sold the dream of peace with central forces which were brought day and night; but Indian security personal could not do anything. These days, the government is trying to propagate that Cobra arrives one after another to bring peace in Manipur. Who buys it?
Most surprisingly, in the name of peace, for the first time, Manipur has two Deputy Chief Ministers on ethnic lines. Everything in Manipur is divided on ethnic line. Socking enough to any person having minimum common sense, one of the Deputy Chief Ministers who cannot have gut to seat in his official rooms in Manipur Secretariat, nominate someone to sit and act on her behalf. It is most unusual political and administrative arrangement in BJP led Government in Manipur. This is Constitutional Immorality. Which of Indian laws makes such nomination legal? This is legal question. However, what we would like to ask is “why is it possible in Manipur for such an undemocratic administrative arrangement”. Even in the colonial history of Manipur, we had never experience such an illogical governance. Forget about the Chief Minister, even the discussants in the public opinion formation do not raise any question. We talk about ethnic assertion but not about the breaking up of administrative unity of Manipur. Are the people twice far away from the governance and historical reality?
What is called such a situation, when any political and administrative arrangement is imposed on the people, there is no voice of resistance? Forgetting the core value is lost, peoples are fighting wildly over fringe elements?
Leader writer: Sh. Ajit