The no-confidence motion moved in the Lok Sabha appears to be the opposition’s last resort to compel Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the ongoing Manipur crisis in the House. However, given the numbers, the motion is expected to fail, posing no real threat to the government. This seems to be a futile exercise by the badly divided opposition. It is sad that the opposition has chosen to focus on the Manipur issue to corner the government when there are other pressing matters that could bring them closer to the common citizens.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has urged the opposition to allow a debate in the House on all issues, including Manipur. This debate would provide the opposition with an opportunity to highlight the government’s failures and propose solutions to the complex issue. Simultaneously, the government could present its efforts and programmes aimed at restoring peace in the troubled region. Unfortunately, both parties seem determined to exploit the issue for political gain, further prolonging the conflict.
Had the Manipur imbroglio been solvable with a single statement from the prime minister, then the PM would have done so on the very first day when news of unrest flashed across the media. Unfortunately, the root causes of the Manipur problem trace back to historical issues from the British Raj and the challenges faced in the ’50s and ’60s during the state’s formation. While it is difficult to sweep the sins of past governments under the carpet, addressing this legacy issue effectively would require consensus building and cooperation among all political parties.
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Don’t forget the past
A significant part of the Manipur issue revolves around the demand for granting Scheduled Tribes status to the Meitei community in the state. After prolonged agitations and appeals, the court finally addressed the matter in favour of the Meitei community. On 3 May, the court issued a notice to both the state and central governments, instructing them to make a decision on the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes category by 30 May.
However, certain Kuki groups opposed the court’s ruling instead of pursuing legal avenues to represent their concerns. This indicates the influence of certain outfits with potential ulterior motives, seeking to prolong the conflict and exploit fear among the hill tribes.
Some Manipur groups and socio-political establishments are apprehensive of the possible negative effects of extending to Manipur the 2001 ceasefire agreement signed between then-Union government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak Muivah) group (NSCN-IM). The Northeastern states have hundreds of tribal communities, each with their own tradition and methods of worship. But these superficial differences have been used and projected as “cultural and ethnic” divides among the tribes. Separatist elements and armed insurgency outfits have used these differences to raise private armies and establish their respective domain of influence and illegal administration.
Many anthropological studies have been influenced by British officers serving in these areas and the different Churches holding sway over one or the other tribal groups. It would not be out of place to suggest that the Modi government could consider constituting a team of scholars to undertake a fresh anthropological study of the Northeast in the changed circumstances where faith towards democracy and people’s awareness have increased. Even smaller and unknown outfits like Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) and Tangkhul Baptist Church Association (TBCA) are now considering a change in their approach towards the non-Christian population, which could achieve tribal status and erode their area of influence.
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Stop it before it’s too late
It is strategically important for the central and state governments to understand the undercurrents and highlight people’s unity and oneness as against groups and institutions that are seeking to exploit the superficial differences to suit their narrow agenda. There is no reason why the Union government should not form a committee consisting of historians, scholars, and parliamentarians to study the issues in the Northeast and come up with policy recommendations.
There are also reports that the state government took strong action against poppy cultivation and destroyed poppy fields, causing a big jolt to the illegal drug trade in the region that had cross-border links. Such links go far beyond trade and drug trafficking and pose serious threats to national security and peace. The drug money is no less dangerous than terror funding, which can seriously jeopardise the government’s agenda for Look East Act East (LEAE) policy.
Manipur shares an international border with Myanmar. The unrest in this border state, therefore, needs to be resolved as soon as possible without any collateral damage. Loss of lives in domestic conflicts lingers on the minds of the local population and often results in revenge attacks, leading to continued enmity between communities.
The disturbances in Manipur should be decisively dealt with before they spread to other parts of the Northeast. It will be in India’s best interest if the political parties can bury their hatchets and act in unison to save the situation from eroding further.
Seshadri Chari is the former editor of ‘Organiser’. He tweets @seshadrichari. Views are personal.