Peace In Manipur
By Insaf
Will the Manipur Assembly put Parliament to shame? Or will Imphal hit the same roadblock as New Delhi? Questions which sadly don’t inspire as of now an affirmative response. On Thursday last, BJP’s N Biren Singh government announced it will convene a special Assembly session in the second or third week of August. Efforts are being made efforts towards this end, as there have demands from several quarters for the same to discuss the current situation in the State, said the IPR department. While claims are being made that ‘very soon, families from relief camps will be able to move into reconstructed homes…all possible measures are being taken to rehabilitate people both in the hills and valley,” Wednesday last saw a mob set at least 30 houses and shopsafire and was engaged in a shootout with security forces in Moreh district. Worse, the animosity between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zomiis there to stay. On the one hand, the Zomi Council Steering Committee, representing 9 Kuki-Zomi tribes demanded imposition of President’s Rule and re-introduction of AFSPA provisions in all valley districts, on the other Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity urged Centre not to hold talks with Kuki militant groups alleging their members were ‘responsible for the current turmoil’ and ‘are foreigners’.However, the Centre held talks with representatives of both the Kuki and Meitei groups on Wednesday last ‘to defuse the tension.’ A tall order indeed.
Be that as it may, the standoff between the Treasury benches and the Opposition in Parliament to discuss the Manipur crisis continues. The Opposition MPs in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha wore black clothes as a mark of protest on Thursday last for not allowing a discussion on the violence and Prime Minister Modi not making a statement and indulged in shouting slogans. The Treasury benches chose to counter with their set of slogans in the Rajya Sabha and didn’t allow Leader of Opposition Kharge to take the floor, who later said it’s against the Convention of the House. Sadly, the gulf is widening in the temple of democracy. Leave aside debate, not a single question has been admitted on Manipur had been admitted or answered on the subject, according to Congress P Chidambaram. Unfortunately, scoring brownie points rather than collectively working towards restoring peace in Manipur appears to be the agenda. Can and will the People’s representatives rise above party lines? Can the people of Manipur be given the confidence that the lawmakers are united and committed to the peace of Manipur? Asking for the moon, perhaps may be easier!
Rajasthan Hots Up
The election fever in Rajasthan is hotting up. The ruling Congress and its Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have more on their plate than bargained for. Having managed to placate a disgruntled Sachin Pilot and put up a ‘united’ show finally, a ‘red diary’ is now haunting Gehlot. The Assembly witnessed ugly scenes after sacked minister Rajendra Gudha waved the diary, claiming it has details of pay-offs made by Gehlot camp to quell Sachin rebellion in 2020. He was sacked as ministerdays earlier after his remarks “…Instead of Manipur, we should look within ourselves why atrocities on women have increased in Rajasthan.”BJP’s star campaigner and Prime Minister Modi as always took it up at rally in Sikar; The ‘red diary’, he said is a fresh product of Congress’ ‘loot ki dukan’, as it contains its dark deeds, which will defeat the party this election. Gehlot has replied: no such red diary existed, the real loot is done by you (Modi) by selling the red cylinder for Rs 1,150, red tomatoes are sold for Rs 150. People are left red-faced hit by inflation.” A red herring in ensuing campaign season!
‘DMK Files’
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi has fresh ammunition against M K Stalin’s government. Wednesday last, BJP’s State unit knocked on Raj Bhavan’s door and submitted a memorandum demanding action over what it termed “benami” links to ruling DMK Ministers, MLAs & MPs, plus “three scams” – in government-run medical corporation (Rs 600 crore), the state transport department (Rs 2,000 crore) and in a firm (Rs 3,000 crore) having alleged links to the ruling regimes—totalling Rs 5,600-odd crore. In a tweet State BJP President K Annamalai, called the scams ‘Part 2 of DMK files’ with ‘benami documents.’ The first part ‘DMK Files’ in April claimed ‘Rs 200 crore kickbacks’ to Stalin for 2011 election fund, channelled by a MNC through two shell firms. This time too, he posted a video clip showing ‘documents’ to back the claims. DMK had rubbished the charges and filed defamation cases against Annamalai, who offers to share more during his padyatra starting Friday to take on Stalin regime and prepare for 2024. It’s anybody’s guess what Ravi will do now, after having to withdraw his order last month dismissing Minister Senthil Balaji. Once bitten twice shy?
Anxiety in Mizoram
Nagging fear engulfs the Meiteis in Manipur’s neighbouring State Mizoram. Over 600 of them,say the police have left fearing an attack and a sense of insecurity prevails following thousands of people demonstrating across Mizoram on Tuesday last to express solidarity with the violence hit Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur. Organised by NGO Co-ordination Committee, a conglomerate of five major civil society organisations,including Central Young Mizo Association (CYMA), the protests were held across the State, and in capital Aizawl in which Chief Minister Zoramthanga, ministers and legislators cutting across party lines took part. Carrying placards and banners, the participants slammed Prime Minister Modi for his ‘silence’ and criticised Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh for his complete failure to bring normalcy. As a fallout, inManipur’s capital, Imphal, the Meiteis directed their anger a day later against Zoramthanga, saying he was interfering in internal affairs of the state. There is need for caution as Mizoram Manipuri Association (AMMA) claims over 3,000 Meiteis, mostly students, teachers, and workers, live in Mizoram and there is growing anxiety.Early warning signs, not to be ignored.
Meghalaya’s Winter Capital
The demand for a winter capital in Meghalaya is simmering. A protest on Monday last, outside Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s secretariat in Tura town turned ugly with five policemen injured in a mob attack. “Intelligence indicates the mob’s plan was to murder the CM by hitting him on the head with a stone or bottles!”claimed the DGP. Of the 19 arrested so far, two are members of BJP’swomen wingand a TMC leader. The trouble broke out while Sangma was holding talks with representatives of Achik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK) and Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC). Shillong in East Khasi Hills is presently the capital, inhabited by Khasis, one of three matrilineal communities of the State, the other two being Garos in Garo Hills, and Jaintias dominating Jaintia Hills. The agitating groups reason out that having a winter capital in headquarters of West Garo Hills will”enable focused attention on specific regional challenges and foster overall prosperity and development.” Importantly, it’s not a new demand. Claimants say the winter capital or 2ndcapital was an ‘agreed policy of the pioneers but remains a distant dream even after 51 years of Meghalaya’s statehood.” The government must keep in mind the proverb ‘a stitch in time saves nine.’ And more so, after seeing the unprecedented crisis in sister State, Manipur. — INFA