Godhra: As in Gujarat post-Godhra riots, in Manipur the Hindu-dominated Meitei people supporting the BJP government have been unleashing violence against other tribals in Manipur

By Rajan Narayan

The Meiteis who comprise 53% of the population of Manipur are largely Hindus who support the BJP. They have been accused of carrying out atrocities against the other tribes, particularly the Christian tribes. Despite the great horror of two women being forcibly stripped way back on May 4, 2023 no action was taken against the culprits by the State police. The Centre did not even refer the matter to the National Women’s Commission. Modi’s reputation as a great leader has been destroyed by the brutal horrors which have been taking place and have recently taken place in Manipur to culminate in the horrors of the last two months since May 3-4 and spiraling out of control despite calls for United Nations Peace Keeping Force, Governor’s rule or President’s rule in Manipur…

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi has visited six foreign countries in the last three months. The prime minister claims that Joe Biden of the United States called him the tallest leader in the world. President Emmanuel Macron bestowed upon Modi the highest award of France during the Bastille Day celebrations (which commemorate the French Revolution victory over monarchy cruelties). Bastille Day celebrations mark the independence of France as the monarchy was replaced by the French Republic calling for liberty, equality and fraternity.
After visiting France Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Germany where again he claims he was given a warm welcome. Modi even had the time to visit Egypt and post photographs of himself sitting near the pyramids on his Facebook account. But Narendra Modi could not find the time or the inclination or the guts to visit Manipur which was burning up with violence and terror unleashed by one set of citizens upon another.
Despite being informed about the two tribal women being forcibly captured from police protection and paraded naked, vile atrocities inflicted on them and followed by a gang rape on May 4, 2023. The scenario got repeated with another two women and there was a surge of violence with mass scale burning of homes, churches and more horrors driving the Kuki tribal sot pack up and run into the forests. Allegedly the second incident of rape by a gang took place on May 4 in Kangkopi district, according to a complaint lodged at the police station.

VIDEO PROOF
SEVERAL video documentaries real and fake have been circulating of the women being stripped, beaten, molested and dragged to a nearby paddy field by a mob. The first incident sparked the violence and it continued to spread in Manipur. Though the gruesome horrible incidents were videotaped and put on YouTube nobody in the government paid any attention to it, including Chief Minister of Manipur Biren Singh. He made a recent statement expressing merely regret for the macabre incidents happening in Manipur. Neither Home Minister Amit Shah nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi thought the matter was important enough to merit a visit to Manipur in the wake of the heinous incidents and mass scale burning down of homes and churches of the Kuki tribals.
Allegedly the mob of men and some men were parading naked girls of the Meitei tribe which is being promoted by the BJP government in Manipur. The Meiti tribe is primarily Hindu. Their victims were the Kuki tribals of the hilly lands who are Christians. Manipur being one of the north-eastern states of India has a very large Christian population. It is true that the various tribes have been engaged in a civil war in the region over land rights.
Unlike in the rest of the country the Christians here are tribal communities converted at some point of their history. However, the land and economic rivalries have seen the various tribes clashing and in recent years reportedly for government concessions. The Manipur clashes have spread to neighbouring Mizoram and other north-eastern states where the Meiti people stay. Meitei people who’re seen as the prime agitators in the latest bout of violence in the region are being threatened and told to go back to Manipur. The Meiti in Assam are also seeking security in Mizoram.

PEACE BEFORE BJP
UNTIL the BJP entered the north-east and captured the government in Mizoram it was a beautiful green state living in peace and understanding. Then the government created a crisis by granting reservations to the Meitei for government jobs and admission to education institutions. The BJP government sacked the extremely honest Meitei Director-General of Police P Doungel, who would have managed the upsurge of violence in the last two months better and brought it under control quicker. However, it is true that following the reservations announced for the Meitei people the other tribals who are Christians and Muslims declared war on the Meitai. The Meitei sought the support, blessings and patronage of the BJP and the chief minister of Manipur.
Narendra Modi can travel the world and every part of the country but he does not have the guts to visit Manipur. There have been repeated demands that the prime minister of India should speak up against the atrocities which have happened and are happening in Manipur, visit the state to sort out grievances, there is an urgent demand for dismissal of Chief Minister Biren Kumar and the imposition of President’s rule in the state to restore peace. This is because Governor of Manipur Anusuiya Uikey is popular with all the tribal groups and she could end the clashes with some distribution of justice.
Goa’s former Superintendent of Police Bosco George, who was posted to Arunachal Pradesh after his promotion to the IPS, is very familiar with the north-eastern states. He was also secretary to the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. Bosco is also close to the governor of Manipur. A very highly respected good Samaritan he has led a team from Goa to Manipur to help the harassed and now suffering residents of Manipur, particularly the Christian population. The Street Providence team from Goa has been in Manipur distributing medical aid, dry food stocks and other needs for the affected people in Manipur who are living in camps or in the forest areas. Street Providence runs several old age shelter homes in Goa and has been extending its charitable activities to other states in India.
The Goa team is reportedly back in Goa on July 24 and Bosco George (former IPS officer and a colleague of the former director of Manipur in the IPS cadre) is expected to submit a report to President of India Droupadi Murmu. Clearly, there seems to be no will on the part of either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Chief Minister of Manipur Biren Singh to solve the already much vitiated violence in Manipur. Needless to say a state which lives in fear can never live in peace and the vital question: Who is fuelling the fear in the larger context of electoral victory?