It appears that the agenda is to keep the conflict going. Of all the available spots in the entire Kuki dominated areas, they chose to bury their mortal remains at a disputed site where the Meiteis would be hurt the most; a highly sensitive spot situated in the very heart of this turmoil which has been dragged on for three months now. Many claim that even the dead are not spared in order to fulfill the target of Zalengam by instigating anger and hostility from the so-called majority population.
If that is the case, then the strategy worked like a charm. Women protestors came out against the plan for mass burial at the disputed site, leading to a major confrontation with the Central forces and resulting in the injury of as many as 25 women, while attempts were made to overrun and snatch arms from MR battalions in Imphal. Women protestors stormed Raj Bhavan and CM’s Bungalow, while the relaxation of curfew was immediately canceled.
As the attacks in the peripheral areas of the valley continue, perhaps for the first time in history, we may have a case of ‘ethnic cleansing’ where the innocent victims work out various, well-planned strategies and means for the conflict to go on and their supposed persecution to continue. The evil oppressors need to be kept constantly enraged and triggered so that violent incidents occur in the state. How else would they cry and play victim in front of the camera and social media?
Constant reports and incidents of violence, etc. are required for online content and drawing national and international media attention to further demonize the majority population in order to get that separate administration. The pattern suggests that the agenda is to keep the conflict alive, while rallies, demonstrations, funerals and later burials, and prayers, etc. are carried out in front of cameras with demands to bring an end to this ongoing “merciless persecution”, garnering support from those who have little to no idea what the issue is really about.
And of course, there is also our dear mainland media that must zoom-in their lenses in order to spot that Hindu Supremacist, the Bhakts from among the ‘majority oppressors’ and find out where the RSS angle is in this whole conflict.
Naturally, their biggest disappointment in covering this conflict is that the Muslim community of Manipur are not the victims in the picture, but rather standing together as one with the Hindu Meiteis and joining hands in defending the territorial integrity of Manipur from those who are trying to rip it apart. Of course, these media houses have no qualms about the disintegration of the territorial integrity of Manipur and the resultant complete chaos which would cost thousands of lives and even worsen the crisis as well, so far as the target of attacking the Right Wing politicians and the toppling down of the BJP government needs to be fulfilled.
The most ridiculous thing that has ever come out of this conflict is equating the Meiteis with Hindu Supremacists or RSS Bhakts and some of the organizations with Bajrang dals because there happens to be a BJP government in the state. This equation has greatly helped in the act of vilifying the Meiteis before the world. It should and will be undone though it may take some time.
Meanwhile, an armory in Bishnupur has been looted amid the protests against the mass burial at the disputed site. As long as these seemingly planned strategies to instigate such reactions and incidents continue to work, they constantly provide a win-win situation for those playing the victim cards and those focusing their cameras on them with an ulterior agenda. The question is for how long this will go on?
(The views expressed are personal)
