Just as Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh called up Congress leaders on Sunday in the wake of abduction of two Meitei youths by Kuki militants followed by a demand for release of one Mark T Haokip in NIA custody, the situation in Manipur could have been a bit different had the Chief Minister taken the Opposition in confidence long time back.
Sadly, it was not so. Like Narendra Modi, the state Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, was in no mood to engage the Opposition as the state and people continue to suffer as a result of the crisis. He continued to berate the opposition for all the ills that is plaguing the state. He blamed the Congress for allowing unrestricted access to illegal immigrants from across the border, signing the tripartite SoO agreement with the Kuki militants, allowing the Kukis to encroach forests lands and allowing new settlements, unrestricted poppy farming and drug smuggling and what not.
He wants people to question why the then Congress government chose to be part of the SoO agreement, but never about why his government continued the same arrangement by agreeing to yearly extensions. The question regarding allegations of BJP coming into an understanding with the Kuki militants during elections and the enabling environment created to enhance the number of Kuki MLAs in Manipur assembly were never answered. In the Tenth Manipur assembly, the ratio of hill MLAs were 11 Nagas and nine Kukis. Since 2017 elections, the ratio has been rearranged 10:10. Yet, nobody dares to discuss the ramifications that is being felt today with a change in the equation.
A few months back, the BJP government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh received a sharp rebuke from none other than the former Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh for indulging in propaganda instead of performing the bounden duties of a government in power with regard to the turmoil in the state which had been going on for more than a year.
Politics apart, Mr Ibobi has a point in reminding Chief Minister of his responsibilities as head of the government. The Congress managed to clinch both Lok Sabha seats in the state not because it is very popular among the general population, but more because of the negativity towards BJP in dealing with the crisis. Now, the whole state is earnestly praying for a kind of normalcy where the common people could lead at least a semblance of the normal life they once had, when internally displaced citizens could return to their original home and hearth and bury the hatchet for the sake of the future generation. Well, the present situation is not that rosy and conducive for peace efforts to work.
It was even made worse by incidents of drone bombings and rockets while generals on both sides of the fence weighed in with their differing opinions thereby adding more complexity to the crisis. Then came along, the abduction of three youths out of which only one was supposedly rescued. So, an invitation for discussions to former CM and Opposition leader Okram Ibobi and Congress state unit president Meghachandra was made.
Chief Minister N Biren met the two Congress leaders along with some leaders in the ruling alliance. No other Opposition party representative was present in the Sunday meeting. CM Biren must have thought that, the other Opposition parties are not important as they have no representation in the Assembly. But when one talks of political consensus representing the state every party, big or small, is important. Since the three boys in question were from Thoubal, the Chief Minister must have thought inviting Okram Ibobi was sufficient. Sorry, it does not work that way.
