The ongoing violence and communal tension in Manipur are also causes of setback to the overall development journey of the state. And this distraction from the developmental journey is also a setback for Kukis, Nagas and other tribes in the state. One cannot draw a consolation that let Meiteis alone suffer. Over 70 people have been killed while scores of others have been injured in the violent clashes that broke out in the state since May 3. Thousands have fled Manipur with over 7,000 people now taking shelter in Mizoram. Kukis share ethnic bonding with the Mizos and hence the demand for Greater Mizoram has also been rekindled.
Over 1,350 automatic weapons have been looted from the police during the ongoing unrest and this certainly does not augur well for the state administration. It is also high time that the people concerned appreciate that the officers and soldiers of Assam Rifles played key roles during the initial phase when the trouble started. Past experiences elsewhere suggest the internal security scenario and an environment under ‘unified headquarters mechanism’ as in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam have been very helpful and such mechanisms should be put in place in Manipur at the earliest.
Emerging as an ‘island of peace’ for some time, Manipur under the ‘double-engine’ government has experienced a lot of positive developments, including pumping in of investments. In August 2022, Manipur had hosted the prestigious Durand Cup football tournament, Asia’s oldest soccer tourney. Nandini Gupta from Rajasthan was crowned the Femina Miss India 2023 title at the starry grand finale held in Manipur. In other words, the good works and achievements of the Biren Singh government too have been jeopardised.
Efforts have been made by certain quarters that Kukis and Nagas can do business together as both are tribals and are also Christians. And as Meiteis are Hindu majority, there were narratives in circulation vis-a-vis the religious angle of the Hindu-Christian divide. But here too, the Nagas have maintained a safe distance. As tribals, the Nagas of Manipur could sympathise with Kukis but they will have their own independent road map vis-a-vis their relations with Imphal on the twin fronts of administration and also people to people relationships.
Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Manipur also coincides with the Modi government completing nine years in office, and also an obvious fact that in less than a year the country will plunge into electoral mode. In all these chaotic scenes and hard work involved to prevent things from deteriorating further, the governance and politico-administrative decisions also come into play. There is a merit in believing that it may not be wise to force Biren Singh to resign, as he could emerge as a ‘martyr’ to the cause of Meiteis. An old management theory is to keep the ‘same man/woman at the top’ who is responsible for creating the mess, and let him or her resolve the problem.
