‘If state govt is not able to ensure safety and peaceful existence, it has failed… has no business to remain’: Ex Manipur dy CM, BJP ally

Joykumar, who is also the national Vice President of the NPP, held the post of the state’s Director General of Police between 2007 and 2013. In an interview with the The Indian Express, he speaks of his party’s position going forward, the state government’s handling of the situation, and the path ahead. Excerpts:

Is the NPP reconsidering its alliance with the BJP in Manipur?

It has almost been one-and-a-half months since the violence first broke out. Despite the Honourable Union Home Minister (Amit Shah)’s visit and his instructions to ensure peace, the situation is going from bad to worse. The main duty of a state government is to look after its people.

If the state government is not able to take care of the security and safety of its own people, ensure their peaceful existence, then the state has failed…and if they have failed, they have no business to remain there.

Our point is that while we are a part of this government, we also have equal responsibility. We cannot remain silent spectators. Look at the situation…the homes of ministers are being burnt, offices being vandalised… What next? If there is no improvement, we will be forced to reconsider and review our equation with this government. It is not about withdrawing support [to remove them from power]…even without our support, this government can survive. It is about making a point that we cannot remain silent spectators and watch this happen.

The NPP is an ally of the BJP not just in Manipur and Meghalaya but also the NDA at the Centre. Have you discussed this with the NPP high command in Meghalaya (including Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma)?

Conrad [Sangma] has been out of station but we will soon meet, discuss and he will also understand. Our interest is the interest of the people of Manipur. How long will people remain like this…displaced in camps? We will come to a unanimous decision. We have not said that we will withdraw [from the government] but we will be forced to review our relationship if serious efforts are not made to control the situation.

Manipur has seen several volatile episodes of violence in its history. In your opinion, what led this one to spiral in the manner it has?

Manipur has seen a lot of violence in its history, but it has never gone so out of control. During my time as the DGP, we handled several volatile and sensitive situations. In this case, things were not handled properly even in the initial stages. The action taken was reactive, not proactive. That was the problem.

The predecessor to the ATSUM (All Tribal Students Union Manipur) tribal solidarity march on May 3 was the burning of the open gym programme in Churachandpur (a week before the CM was supposed to inaugurate it)…[The atmosphere was already charged up]. Therefore, permission for such a march should not have been granted.

Even if it was, there should have been sufficient security deployed everywhere, pre-empting untoward incidents. And later, when the violence started flaring up, authorities should have known that Kuki settlements in the Imphal valley would be vulnerable, and that Meitei settlements in the hills would come under attack. These areas should have been put under protection immediately. If these steps were taken, things would not have gone to this extent. Proactive action was not taken at the right time. Unfortunately, now it has gotten more complicated and difficult to handle.

As someone who has been at the head of the police force, what do you see as the way forward?

When the Union Home Minister came (to Manipur), we suggested five things: confidence building, neutral authority, relief and rehabilitation committee, peace committee and clearance of national highways.

Yes, a peace committee was formed — but with 51 members! That is not the way — so many members makes it unwieldy. A peace committee does not necessarily have to have a CM or politicians for that matter, it should have influential people from both communities and other communities like the Nagas. As a result, even before the formation, it was like a stillborn baby.

After Article 355 (through which the Centre can intervene and protect a state against external aggression or internal disturbance) was invoked (reports say the Article has been invoked, while MHA sources have denied it), MHA should have had more responsibility when it came to law and order.

However, it appears that there is confusion about who has control over law and order. There seems to be dual control… and that has caused confusion, aggravating the situation. The state government and the central government should make more sincere and serious efforts to control the situation.