‘President’s rule not good for Manipur when they have an elected govt… CM Biren Singh remains popular’: BJP Manipur MLA

Manipur has seen protests over various issues before. Why do you think there is violence on such a scale this time?

IMO: There are a couple of things that one needs to understand. There is a perception that the issue began with the violence on May 3, after a rally that had been taken out due to a High Court order (seeking action) on ST status demand by the Meiteis. This is not true. Everyone has been pointing to the HC verdict as the reason for the clashes. Again, not true. The issue started a number of years ago.

The Inner Line Permit (restricting access to hill areas inhabited by the tribal communities) was implemented in Manipur in 2019. But before that, when there had been an attempt by the Congress government to bring three Bills in lieu of the ILP, there were violent protests in Churachandpur against the implementation of the ILP, in which six people died. There was a six-month blockade at the time. Why did the people of the (tribal-dominated) district not want the ILP implemented?

The government’s attempt to stop poppy cultivation has also been a bone of contention. There is no doubt that there is poppy cultivation throughout the state, but it is the highest in districts where the violence has taken place.

The third, and one of the most important, issue is that of illegal immigration. This is an issue that impacts the whole country. There is illegal immigration from Myanmar in Mizoram as well. But in Manipur, the concentration is only in some districts, and the degree and scale are higher. Most of these immigrants now have Aadhaar and voter cards. This is not acceptable.

The government had formed a cabinet sub-committee a couple of months ago, which had just started looking at the issue of illegal immigrants and had initiated verification. In just a month’s time, we found 2,500 illegal immigrants, and we haven’t even completed the process yet. The issue is that the immigrants have been building homes, setting up villages, especially on forest land. There would be no problem if they stayed in a refugee shelter earmarked for them.

What was the immediate instigation for the violence?

IMO: We don’t know that yet. But a ‘peace rally’ (over the Meitei ST demand, on May 3) had people join in carrying AK-47s! How is that peaceful? Moreover, even while the so-called peaceful rally was taking place, violence had already begun, with forest offices and other buildings being burnt.

Why has the state government been unable to control the violence and bring the situation under control?

IMO: The first spate of violence that started on May 3 spiralled into large-scale violence. Whatever the instigation may have been, the large-scale clashes were spontaneous. In the first couple of days, emotions were running high and people were being killed. At that stage, we couldn’t bring the violence under control.

But the second spate of violence which erupted on May 23, just days before Union Home Minister’s (Amit Shah’s) visit, started first with firing from across the foothills surrounding the (Meitei-dominated) Imphal valley. This was meticulously planned. It was done by the SoO insurgent groups (those who have signed Suspension of Operations agreement with the Centre) with the help of foreign militia. These insurgent groups and foreign militia were fighting against the Manipur state as well as the Union of India and its security forces – so, they were waging a war against India.

The people-to-people violence had decreased by then, and this kind of violence had taken over. The state is still fighting it even as we speak.

You, along with many MLAs, as well as the CM have sought the Centre’s intervention numerous times over the past month. But recently, after a delegation you were part of had met the Defence Minister and Finance Minister, eight of the MLAs went separately to seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There were statements by them that the Biren Singh government has failed. Is the BJP’s house divided in Manipur?

IMO: No, we are united on this front. We are all working towards peace in Manipur – that comes first, above all else. Before we came to Delhi, a meeting took place in the state Assembly, with 24 MLAs present, where everyone decided that we should seek an appointment with the PM. I did not attend that meeting. After writing to the PM, we were waiting for an appointment. In the meantime, we came to Delhi to meet our senior leaders. It is true that we did not know that some MLAs would try and meet the PM separately or would submit a memorandum.

Having said that, the members of that delegation also participated in our meetings. They did not come for our meetings with the Defence and Finance Minister, but they were present during the several meetings we had with (BJP Northeast in-charge) Sambit Patra.

As far as the statements that were made are concerned, the MLAs have refuted the same.

Yours was a delegation of Meitei MLAs. Earlier a Kuki MLA delegation had met the Home Minister, followed by a Naga MLA delegation. And there have been BJP MLAs in each of those. Does this mean that now elected representatives are divided along community lines?

IMO: The initial delegation, whether it was the Chief Minister meeting the Union Home Minister, or later a delegation led by me when we met the Home Minister in Guwahati, had tribal MLAs. The Kuki MLAs are a different matter.

Do you think the situation warrants Presidents’ rule, as sought by some quarters?

IMO: Absolutely not. Presidents’ rule is not in the benefit of the people of Manipur, when they have a democratically elected government. There have been violent clashes in other parts of the country in the past, was President’s rule imposed during any of those? All the action that the state government has taken so far — eviction drives (against illegal settlers), in Imphal as well as in the hills, the clearing of forests, the identification of illegal immigrants — has been taken for the benefit of indigenous communities of Manipur, both the Meiteis as well as tribals. The people understand that and support us.

What about the demand for CM Biren Singh’s removal?

IMO: The Chief Minister is a popular leader. If there is a demand, it is from the Kuki groups and maybe some Opposition members. There has been no such groundswell demand from the people of the state to remove him.

The state government has handled the situation well. Over the past 15 days, the situation has largely improved. When we requested the Home Minister (Amit Shah), he came and stayed in Manipur for three whole days, which has never happened anywhere else. The party is fully backing the Chief Minister. Otherwise, he would have been removed immediately and they would not have waited so long.

There are allegations that the state government was complicit in the looting of armouries….

IMO: Arms were looted not just in the valley. They were looted across the state. The Home Minister as well as the state government has appealed for the arms to be returned. Combing operations are underway. Many of the arms have been recovered. The government of India has initiated an inquiry into the matter, and if anyone is found complicit – whether it is the police personnel or civil servants or any minister – strict action will be taken against them.

How do you see the allegation that Meitei radical outfits seen as having a role in the violence, such as the Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun, have close ties with the CM?

Manipur is a close-knit community. It is not like Delhi or Mumbai. Everyone knows everyone. Ours is an open society and people come and visit us all the time. The allegations mean nothing. In my constituency alone, I know thousands of people by their first names. It does not imply complicity.

Has the Manipur government given any assurance to the Kuki-Zomi people of their safety so that they can return to their homes?

IMO: The idea that the Kukis have been (forced out) is an incorrect one. If anything, it is the Meiteis… There are no Meiteis left in Churachandpur or Moreh town, they have had to flee their homes. In Imphal, on the other hand, there are still Kukis who live here. The fact that they can do that is assurance in itself that they can live here safely.

The Indian Express reported how names of colonies have been changed both in Imphal as well as Churachandpur? For instance in Imphal city, Paitei Veng, which was occupied by the Paitei people before the clashes, has been changed to the Meitei name Kwakeithal Ningthemkol.

IMO: Kwaikeithal Ningthemkol is the original name of that colony. That land belonged to my grandfather’s brother who sold it to tribal families. If anything, Paitei Veng was the renaming. Besides, it is not that easy to change names. Changing the name in a revenue record is a longer process.

Do you think the Manipuri society is divided irreparably now?

IMO: Not at all. It’s going to take some time for people to get together and talk, start the process of peace, but I am optimistic. Of course, certain immediate measures need to be taken for the peace talks to even begin, and we have raised these concerns. National Highway 2 needs to be reopened immediately. The government needs to deal with the SoO groups stringently – either the government should withdraw from the SoO or it should ensure that the groups are back in their designated camps and without arms.

The SoO groups might take this as open war.

IMO: We are already at war. They are openly attacking us.