IT News
Imphal, April 14:
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) today released the party’s general election manifesto after much anticipation. While it encompasses a wide array of promises, including initiatives aimed at empowering various segments of society such as women, youth, the poor, and farmers, there is a noticeable absence of any explicit mention regarding the ongoing violence in Manipur, which has persisted for the past 11 months in their 76 pages long manifesto.
In the section addressing the maintenance of peace in Northeast India, the manifesto outlines the party’s commitment to addressing issues in disturbed areas and gradually phasing out the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). It also pledges to work towards resolving inter-state border disputes through sustained efforts, while emphasizing the Northeast’s role as a strategic gateway for India’s Act East Policy, focusing on connectivity, education, healthcare, economic development, and security.
Regarding flood management in the Northeast, the manifesto proposes the utilization of advanced satellite imagery to identify suitable locations for constructing reservoirs to mitigate flooding and facilitate activities such as irrigation and water sports. However, despite these measures being potentially relevant to Manipur, there is a lack of specific proposals addressing the ongoing violence in the region.
The manifesto highlights the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as a historic step and claims a significant reduction in insurgency-related violence in the Northeast during the BJP’s tenure, leading to the removal of the AFSPA from certain areas. Additionally, it cites substantial improvements in connectivity across the region through the expansion of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, railways, and airports.
However, the manifesto falls short in directly addressing the scale of violence witnessed in Manipur. While it acknowledges the neglect of infrastructure in border areas by previous governments and pledges to rectify this through the construction of roads, railways, and communication networks, there is no explicit commitment to expanding border fencing. Instead, the emphasis is placed on enhancing connectivity and communication in already fenced portions. Regarding the border management, it writes “we will accelerate development of robust infrastructure along the Indo-China, Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Myanmar borders. We will introduce technological solutions on fenced portions to make fencing smarter.” So, it does not commit that it will expand the fencing of the border rather they have said that they are making the already fenced portion smart with increased connectivity and communication.
Overall, the manifesto lacks specific measures tailored to quelling the ongoing violence in Manipur. While it outlines broader strategies for peace and development in Northeast India, it does not provide a comprehensive solution to the pressing issue of violence plaguing the state of Manipur.
