Editorial: Over to the Centre’s court

The resignation of N Biren Singh offers a window of opportunity for the Centre to find a political solution to the Manipur unrest

The resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, after delaying for months, offers a window of opportunity for the central government to intervene and find a political solution to the ethnic crisis plaguing the northeast State. For the last 21 months, it has been in the grip of violence, resulting in the death of over 250 people and rendering thousands homeless. The Biren Singh government came under all-round attack for failing to control the situation. Despite the growing demand for him to quit, Singh chose to cling to power, triggering a revolt within the ruling BJP. Finally, he bowed to public pressure and submitted his resignation, just a day ahead of the commencement of the Assembly session. The Congress was to table a no-confidence motion against the embattled leader had the session taken place. Now, the urgent task before the Centre is to restore peace and work to heal the wounds of the people. The wounds of the strife-torn State need a soothing balm; a healing touch that encompasses all the affected communities. A political solution involving civil society is the only way forward. Manipur, like most of north-eastern India, is an amalgamation of multiple cultures, faiths and ethnicities, many with a history of mistrust and violence. The onus is on the central government to step in and arrest the tide of ethnic violence involving the two warring communities: Meiteis and Kukis. The NDA government’s attempts in the past to bring the warring sides to the negotiating table have remained unsuccessful.

There is a huge disconnect between the Centre and the local people, whose concerns and aspirations remain unaddressed. Manipur’s genuine civil society, cutting across ethnic divides, must be encouraged to reverse social polarisation. It is they who should be leading the discourse, not armed groups — supported by political elements — on both sides. The cause of the present crisis lies in the demand by the Meitei community for Scheduled Tribe status and a strong pushback by Kukis, who inhabit the hilly regions. Instead of addressing the elephant in the room, the Centre and State governments sought to frame it as a law-and-order problem. The ominous developments — spurt in ethnic violence, targeted killings, attacks on residences of legislators and ministers and the reimposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) — marked a deepening crisis in a State that has always been geographically carved into two ethnically segregated enclaves — the plains and the hills. The State’s challenges extend beyond insurgency and violence. Ethnic divides, regional grievances and economic stagnation have contributed to the unrest. What makes the situation more alarming is the apparent lack of a coherent strategy to bridge the ethnic divide. Both the Meitei and Kuki communities feel marginalised.

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