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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Manipur, push for a return to popular government is understandable
Since the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur on February 13, the state assembly has remained in suspended animation, following the BJP's failure to reach a consensus on a successor to former chief minister N Biren Singh. As the assembly has not been dissolved, it retains the possibility of being revived when the prevailing conditions allow for the formation of a government. Reflecting growing discontent with the present standstill, a group of 10 NDA MLAs met Governor Ajay Bhalla at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, urging the formation of a 'popular government' in the state. They claimed the support of 44 legislators in the 60-member Assembly (one seat currently lies vacant). However, the revocation of President's Rule appears unlikely in the near future — almost 25 months into the ethnic conflict, it is telling that peace remains the immediate priority, not government formation. On April 29, the same 10 MLAs, along with 11 other NDA legislators, had written to the Centre with a similar demand. Their push for a return to a popular government is understandable — after all, the BJP won a mandate in the 2022 Assembly election. The difficulty, however, lies in the nature of the proposed arrangement, which does not include representation for the Kuki-Zo communities. By their own admission, those who claim the support of 44 MLAs have not included the 10 Kuki-Zomi MLAs — seven of whom were elected on BJP tickets. The supposed consensus behind the push for a return of popular government, thus, reflects a consensus among the Meiteis, but not between the Meiteis and Kukis. The Centre's hesitation to revoke President's Rule acknowledges the persisting instability in the state — illustrated by the unrest in Imphal less than two weeks ago between protesters and security forces, over the alleged instructions to cover the word 'Manipur' on a state-run transport bus (Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh has expressed regret and announced an inquiry into the incident). While there is some consolation in the fact that there has been no violent standoff between the two communities in recent weeks, significant challenges remain — of rebuilding trust, addressing grievances, and tackling the structural issues that lie at the heart of the conflict. An estimated 3,000 looted weapons remain un-recovered. Thousands of displaced persons remain in relief camps. Kukis and Meiteis continue to be segregated between hill and valley. Only an inclusive political process that brings all stakeholders to the table can offer a path to lasting peace. Without such a process, even a well-intentioned return to a popular government risks another cycle of violence.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Centre unlikely to revoke President's Rule in Manipur, BJP suggests MLAs paid ‘courtesy visit' to Governor
AMID reports of a move by MLAs in Manipur to form a government on Wednesday, sources at the Centre said it was unlikely that President's Rule would be revoked any time soon. The priority for both the Centre and the Manipur state machinery as of now is not government formation but peace, and any political movement could derail the process, which has started to show results, as per the sources. 'Neither the national leadership of the BJP nor the Central government wants government formation as of now. The possibility of this is bleak,' said a senior leader familiar with the developments in the state. On Wednesday, 10 MLAs met Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla claiming support of over 40 legislators to stake claim to form the government. President's Rule was invoked in the state in February, almost two years after the state ruled by the BJP descended into ethnic conflict. Later, BJP leaders stressed that it was only a courtesy visit. An MLA told The Indian Express: 'In the BJP, there is a culture of discipline. The central leadership decides who will lead the party. We have to follow that.' A source said the BJP central leadership is conscious of the sentiments of the MLAs who have been seeking a 'popular' government and resumption of the Assembly that is in suspended animation, and would reach out to them. 'The top leadership is expected to intervene and talk to the legislators. The leadership understands the frustration of the MLAs,' a BJP office-bearer said. The peace process in the state is slow-moving, with Manipur seeing a fresh round of protests in recent days, and the Centre is wary of both the hiccups involved as well as the sensitive border situation. Over the past three months of President's Rule, the Centre has initiated a series of measures such as calls to different groups to surrender looted weapons. Union Home Minister Amit Shah set a deadline of March 8 for resumption of uninterrupted mobility between the Meitei and Kuki areas, though that has run into problems. But, despite the lukewarm response of Kuki organisations, which have claimed they are not being involved in the talks, the Centre is confident that it is 'on the right track'. 'In fact, a government in the state could create more troubles for the Centre and its efforts,' the senior BJP leader familiar with the developments said. A BJP leader said: 'Even all the weapons have not been surrendered yet. There are perhaps 3,000 firearms still out there.' BJP leaders also point out that there is little guarantee that the MLAs who have apparently come together to stake claim to form a government would be able to keep their differences aside, particularly given the ethnic divisions. The first hurdle, for example, would be the choice of chief minister. 'We do not see a possibility of unanimity,' said a source. The other big hurdle would be N Biren Singh, who was the CM under whom the conflict started and who was in the post till President's Rule was imposed, despite many calls to replace him. A leader pointed out that the main demand of the Kukis is that Biren be kept out. 'So how can we have a government with his involvement?' said the leader. Party sources pointed out that there had been multiple rounds of discussions over a replacement for Biren earlier too, with a number of MLAs shuttling between Imphal and New Delhi. However, a consensus could not be reached, finally leading to Biren's resignation on February 9 ahead of the imposition of President's Rule. With inputs by Vikas Pathak, Jatin Anand
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Breakthrough likely in the fresh row brewing in Manipur after Centre meets key outfit
The row over covering of the word 'Manipur' on a state transport bus a few days ago, which has led to a fresh round of protests in the state, reached Delhi on Tuesday. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which is spearheading the protests in Imphal and has been demanding resignation of senior officers over the issue, met senior Union Home Ministry officials. On Monday, the protests had forced Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla, who was returning from Delhi after a meeting, to take a chopper to his residence from the Imphal airport. Congress state president K Meghachandra Singh said the incident showed the failure of President's Rule in the state. The seven-member COCOMI delegation, led by its convenor Khuraijam Athouba, met the Home Ministry's North East Advisor A K Mishra and Intelligence Bureau Joint Director Rajesh Kamble. Athouba told The Indian Express: 'We had a good talk. We spoke about various issues, including our engagement with the government over the Manipur situation, our opposition to giving legitimacy to SoO groups (the groups with which the government has reached suspension of operations agreements) and the problem of narco-terrorism in the state. We also told them about the sentiment in the Valley over the current row. They said they would convey the same to the government. We hope the government will take action.' While the COCOMI has been seeking resignations of the DGP, Chief Secretary and Advisor to the Manipur government, sources said the Centre may not cede more than a statement of regret over the issue. Sources within the Meitei civil society also indicated that an apology could bring the anger in the Valley down. The row stems from a May 20 incident when security forces allegedly stopped a state-run bus, which was carrying journalists to cover the Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul district, near the Gwaltabi checkpost and forced Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staffers to cover the state's name written on the windshield with a white paper. In the Valley, this was seen as an insult to the state. The festival itself was a big moment for the administration in Manipur, run by the Home Ministry under President's Rule, as it was the first time it was being held since the start of the conflict in the state in May 2023. Transport of participants from the Valley to the neutral Naga territory where the festival was held required passing through three Kuki settlements. It was to be the first major movement of the Meities to the area in two years. Home Ministry sources told The Indian Express Tuesday that the row was unfortunate and that, contrary to what is being alleged, the security forces had not asked for covering the 'Manipur' word on the bus. 'In fact, the security forces were not allowing the bus itself to go ahead since there are restrictions on plying of state transport buses through Kuki areas… The organisers of the trip suggested that the 'Manipur' marking on the bus be covered with white paper so that the bus could go ahead. When this was being done, the journalists sitting in the bus protested and a row erupted,' an official said. The official added: 'After the DIPR decided to take journalists to the Shirui Lily festival, it asked the Transport Department to hire a bus. Ideally, private transport should have been hired. But the state bus was sent.' Resumption of mobility between the Meitei and Kuki areas had been one of the promises made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, after the imposition of President's Rule, with a deadline of March 8 set for it. However, the very first day, a Manipur state transport bus passing through Kangpokpi, a Kuki-dominated district, had been attacked and even fired upon. Since then, Manipur State Transport buses have not been plying in Kuki areas. In a statement after its meeting with Home Ministry officials Tuesday, the COCOMI said: 'The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue. The MHA officials assured that the matter has been noted for necessary governmental action.' Raising the latest row, Congress general secretary and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh demanded Shah's resignation on Monday. 'President's Rule appears to have made no difference whatsoever in Manipur. Today the Governor had to take a helicopter from the airport in Imphal to Kangla Fort in order to reach his residence. Meanwhile, the PM is busy giving filmi dialogues in different parts of the country and politicising Operation Sindoor while continuing to ignore Manipur. The Union Home Minister has failed most miserably and should resign for his total failure to bring a semblance of normalcy in Manipur, which he has been managing,' Ramesh said in a statement. Meghachandra said: 'Who instructed the Manipur Governor to remove the word 'Manipur' from the Manipur State Transport Corporation bus? Double-Engine government (of the BJP) has already failed Manipur over the last more than two years. President's Rule, too, has failed Manipur.' PM Modi has 'repeatedly' failed Manipur, the Congress state chief said. 'Home Minister Amit Shah should resign. The Manipur Governor should be recalled.'
The Print
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
3 months into President's Rule, Governor's airlift to Raj Bhawan shows Manipur is still volatile
This is corroborated by security stakeholders, state government officials and Manipuri MLAs that ThePrint spoke to regarding the situation in the Northeast state. The episode encapsulates the fragile situation in Manipur, a state that remains volatile even after over two years of the ethnic conflict. Three months into the President's Rule, which was imposed 13 February— four days after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned —there has not been any significant difference on the ground. New Delhi: On Monday, an Army helicopter airlifted Governor Ajay Bhalla from the airport to drop him at the Raj Bhavan after protesters lined up along his route. This was after a Meitei organisation announced protests against the bid to 'undermine the identity of Manipur.' Even as there has been no large scale violence reported since the President's Rule was imposed, they told ThePrint that there is not much improvement—be it recovery of looted weapons, reining in extortion cases, opening national highways, or outreach between the two ethnic communities: the non-tribal Meiteis and the tribal Kukis. The latest round of protests that led to Bhalla's airlift was triggered after central security personnel allegedly asked some state government employees to cover the word 'Manipur' painted on the state transport bus, which was taking journalists to the Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul on 20 May. Though an investigation was ordered, the administration was unable to placate Meitei civil society organisations. They sought an apology from the Governor and demanded the removal of chief secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Singh, and security advisor Kuldiep Singh. 'There is a complete disconnect between what the Centre is doing and what the people including the BJP leadership in the state want,' a BJP MLA told ThePrint. The BJP MLAs have been demanding installation of a government for a while now but with the party a divided house, the Centre is not too confident if it's the right time to stake claim. Though the assembly is in suspended animation, the BJP continues to be in majority in the 60-member House. Extortion up again, looted weapons a worry A senior security official said that there was a lot of expectation that with the Centre in charge, the law and order situation will improve. 'In fact, in the first two months after the President's Rule, extortion was under control. But, there is an uptick again.' The official added that extortionists from insurgent groups in the Imphal Valley have changed their modus operandi. 'They no longer send extortion letters. Instead, they call their target and if the person does not comply, they put a hand grenade outside his house to threaten him.' In April, security agencies seized seven-eight hand grenades from houses of the people, who were being targeted by the extortionists, the official said. 'Some grenades were recovered the next month as well.' Extortion is rampant in the hills too, but it is very organised there unlike in the Valley. 'Areas are divided between different underground groups. A particular underground group operating in an area won't venture into another's territory. In the hills, the general public gives donation to the different groups to protect their areas,' another security official said. Another area of concern, security officials said, is a very limited recovery of looted weapons. A second security official in the state government said that of the total 6,020 weapons looted from police armouries, only 2,900 weapons have either been returned or recovered, so far. 'After the President's Rule in February, a little over 250 looted weapons have been returned or recovered. In all, not even 50 percent of the looted weapons have been recovered,' the official said. Soon after the President's Rule was imposed, the Governor made a public appeal urging the people to surrender illegal weapons for which he set a one-week deadline. On 27 February, the last day of the deadline, members of Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei socio-cultural group which transformed into a radical armed outfit, surrendered 246 weapons. #WATCH | Imphal | The members of 'Arambai Tengol'- a Meitei organisation, today surrendered their arms following their meeting with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Feb 25 — ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2025 'This was more of a public display. Not much has happened since then,' the official said. Security officials told ThePrint that in their internal meetings, Bhalla had set a 30 June deadline for recovery of looted weapons. But it's unlikely the deadline will be met. The security official quoted earlier said that on an average, 8-10 cadres of underground groups were apprehended every week. 'Since February, about 180 people have been arrested. But, they are mostly village volunteers, or low-rung cadres. A majority of them are released on bail in a week or two. None of the hardcore cadres, who underwent training in Myanmar or elsewhere, have been arrested. Our information is that most of them have fled to Myanmar,' the official said. Manipur DGP Rajiv Kumar was not available for comment. Nevertheless, Manipur-based Lt Gen Konsam Himalay Singh (retired) said that the absence of violence in a complex situation is a partial success. 'Three months of the President's Rule to some extent has been a limited kind of success, since there's hardly any violence. I say 'limited' as dialogue was to take place between members of the two communities. Dialogue did take place, but not in the right direction. The highways are yet to be cleared of disturbances even now,' Singh, the first from the North-East to become a Lieutenant General in the Army, told ThePrint. But, he added, the key issue of recovery of illegal and other looted weapons from the police armouries have not been substantial. 'That's an issue of concern… More action is needed on that front.' Also Read: As Centre steps in, Manipur underground groups tell cadre to 'lie low', but situation still volatile National Highways yet to be opened Even the two national highways—NH 2 and 37—that were closed since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 remains out of bounds. A Manipur government official said the authorities did try to open the national highways, but were not successful. 'There are safety concerns… Though there is no violence but the situation continues to be tense and can flare up at the slightest provocation.' In fact, the government tried to start interdistrict bus service between Imphal and the hill districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi twice in the last two years but were forced to call it off after failing to get passengers. There has been a rise in corruption cases as well. a retired IAS officer, said that with the President's Rule in place, the people expected that corruption would reduce. 'Though there is a reduction in corruption cases in the higher echelon, it goes on merrily at the public-government interface. No serious initiative to reign in corruption is seen. Corruption is the bane of Manipuri society and without rooting it out, there can hardly be any development,' he said. No substantive dialogue, so far With the BJP brass yet to take a decision on installation of a popular government, party MLAs are growing impatient. In April, 21 MLAs, including 13 from the BJP, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the formation of a government. A BJP MLA told ThePrint that time is running out for them. 'People's anger against their elected representatives is growing. There has been no substantive outreach between the Meiteis and the Kukis. There have been a couple of meetings between civil society organisations on both sides, but not much has come out of it.' The President's Rule remains in effect till 12 August. If a government is not installed till then, the Centre can extend it for a maximum of three years with parliamentary approvals every six months. What is needed, according to the MLA, is a political dialogue between the two communities. 'The main grouse of the Kukis was that as long as Biren Singh is there as CM, they will not come to the table for talks. With Biren gone, political dialogue should have been initiated. If a government is in place, it can at least restart talks and try to restore normalcy.' The BJP MLAs are worried that if the stalemate continues, it will get difficult for the party to return to power in 2027, when the assembly elections are due. Lt Gen Singh (retired), too, asserted that popular government is most desirable in a democracy. 'But in this case, it seems, there is no political consensus among the different camps. This is delaying the installation of a popular government. A stable government is what is required,' he said. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: 2 years after Manipur violence. The govt doesn't care to fix the pain
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Breakthrough likely in fresh row brewing in Manipur as Centre meets key outfit
The row over covering of the word 'Manipur' on a state transport bus a few days ago, which has led to a fresh round of protests in the state, reached Delhi on Tuesday. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), which is spearheading the protests in Imphal and has been demanding resignation of senior officers over the issue, met senior Union Home Ministry officials. On Monday, the protests had forced Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla, who was returning from Delhi after a meeting, to take a chopper to his residence from the Imphal airport. Congress state president K Meghachandra Singh said the incident showed the failure of President's Rule in the state. The seven-member COCOMI delegation, led by its convenor Khuraijam Athouba, met the Home Ministry's North East Advisor A K Mishra and Intelligence Bureau Joint Director Rajesh Kamble. Athouba told The Indian Express: 'We had a good talk. We spoke about various issues, including our engagement with the government over the Manipur situation, our opposition to giving legitimacy to SoO groups (the groups with which the government has reached suspension of operations agreements) and the problem of narco-terrorism in the state. We also told them about the sentiment in the Valley over the current row. They said they would convey the same to the government. We hope the government will take action.' While COCOMI has been seeking resignations of DGP, Chief Secretary and Advisor to the Manipur government, sources said Centre may not cede more than a statement of regret over the issue. Sources within the Meitei civil society also indicated that an apology could bring the anger in the Valley down. The row stems from a May 20 incident when security forces allegedly stopped a state-run bus, carrying journalists to cover the Shirui Lily festival in Ukhrul district, near the Gwaltabi checkpost and forced Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) staff to cover the state's name on the windshield with a white paper. In the Valley, this was seen as an insult to the state. The festival was a big moment for the administration in Manipur, run by the Home Ministry under President's Rule, as it was the first time it was being held since the start of the conflict in May 2023. Transport of participants from the Valley to the neutral Naga territory where the festival was held required passing through three Kuki settlements. It was to be the first major movement of Meities to the area in two years. Home Ministry sources said Tuesday that the row was unfortunate and that, contrary to what is being alleged, the security forces had not asked for covering the 'Manipur' word on the bus. 'In fact, the security forces were not allowing the bus to go ahead since there are restrictions on plying of state transport buses through Kuki areas… The organisers of the trip suggested that the 'Manipur' marking on the bus be covered with white paper so that the bus could go ahead. When this was being done, the journalists in the bus protested and a row erupted,' an official said. The official added: 'After the DIPR decided to take journalists to the Shirui Lily festival, it asked the Transport Department to hire a bus. Ideally, private transport should have been hired. But the state bus was sent.' Resumption of mobility between Meitei and Kuki areas had been one of the promises made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, after imposition of President's Rule, with a deadline of March 8 set for it. However, the very first day, a Manipur state transport bus passing through Kangpokpi, a Kuki-dominated district, was fired upon. Manipur State Transport buses have not been plying in Kuki areas since. In a statement after its meeting with Home Ministry officials Tuesday, COCOMI said: 'The delegation conveyed the strong sentiments and demands of the people regarding the Gwaltabi issue. MHA officials assured the matter has been noted for necessary governmental action.'
