Chasm is now so deep that even the CM’s resignation may do little to assuage the affected people
Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh’s resignation comes far too late. He had clung to his post for 21 months after ethnic violence had broken out in the state in May 2023 between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo. And he resigned only a day ahead of a no-confidence motion against him and his government that was being planned by the Opposition.
The BJP high command’s faith in Biren Singh had seemed quite misplaced as ethnic strife did not improve even after considerable time had passed since the outbreak of violence. Biren Singh had to throw in the towel only because he was fast losing the confidence of legislators from his own party who may have abstained or voted against him to bring his rule down if a no-confidence motion were moved.
The Supreme Court calling for forensic evidence in a sealed cover on leaked audio tapes allegedly establishing a leader’s role in instigating violence against Kuki-Zo people, public pressure on the CM and his administration, rising dissidence within the ruling party over having to continue in a reign that had overseen such chaos in people’s lives that had spread even to territorial ban on people from the other community made a cocktail of compelling circumstances that forced the stubborn Biren Singh to resign.
Far from dousing the flames of discord among two major sections of Manipuris, Biren Singh played a partisan role in the conflict, fanning the flames by standing resolutely behind his Meitei community. It appeared the state machinery had lost its hold on administering the state even as members of both communities raided police stations and IR battalions and seized arms and ammunition to use against each other.
It was blindingly clear to all that the clashes that continually wrecked the peace and saw the taking of at least 250 lives from among both the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo communities called for a bipartisan approach to solving issues rather than exacerbating the situation by signalling which side one leader was on. The Meiteis and the Kuki-Zo were daggers drawn ever since a court ruled in favour of the Meiteis in asking the state to consider their demand for ST status and hence eligible for the benefits the Kuki-Zo enjoyed.
The chasm is now so deep that even the CM’s resignation may do little to assuage the affected people who stand deeply polarised. That the Prime Minister did not visit the northeastern state even once in the last 21 months was continually stressed even as the Union home minister tried desperately to find ways out of the impasse.
With the police force itself seen as partisan by a section of the people, the Army as well as the Assam Rifles were deployed to help keep the peace, but nothing altered the fundamental mutual distrust between the two sections of people. Bringing the Meiteis and the Kuki-zo together is going to be a stupendous task, but which must be attempted if peace is to return.
With Biren Singh out of the way, it might seem a spell of Central rule under the Governor might be the better way forward right now until peace returns and a leader who can hear and understand the points of view of both sections be picked to take it forward at a time when the border with Myanmar is fluid, banned outfits are operating inside Manipur with sophisticated weapons even as drugs are being moved freely and illegal immigration is becoming a bigger issue.
