Even as many civil society organisations and opposition political parties of Manipur have called for the deferment of the upcoming parliamentary elections amidst the ongoing violence, Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren boldly said that the ruling BJP would start campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections from Friday, March 8, 2024 though no candidate has been announced by the party for Manipur till date.
The Chief Minister Biren seems embolden after the 5-day 5th Session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Session took resolutions to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SOO) Agreement with Kuki-Zomi militants and to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur.
Many Civil Society organsations and political parties in Manipur had been demanding to convene special session of Manipur Legislative Assembly and discuss to end the violent conflict that erupted on May 3 last year with Kuki-Zomi militants attacking Meiteis in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and its bordering areas of Bishnupur district.
However, the Government convened a one-day 4th Session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 29, 2023 and the session lasted for only 11 minutes without giving time to discuss the burning Manipur violence. The 5th Session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly was convened from February 28 to March 5, 2024 with only five working days.
Both the Assembly sessions were convened to prevent constitutional breakdown – if not the Assembly has session within a period of six months – not on the demands of the people and political parties.
Notably, the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on the 2nd day of its 5th Session unanimously resolved to urge the Central Government to completely abrogate the SoO agreement with all the Kuki-Zomi militant groups.
The Chief Minister said the decision comes in the interest of ensuring peace and security in the region.
The 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly on the last day, March 1, 2024 has re-affirmed the resolution passed by the House on August 5, 2022 for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren, on his official X account, wrote, “NRC is crucial for safeguarding the interests of our state and contributing to the greater good of our nation”. He also said the decision to urge the Government of India to expedite the implementation of the NRC reflects our commitment to ensuring the security and integrity of Manipur.
According to reports, Chief Minsiter Nongthombam Biren claimed that he and the ruling BJP have committed “no wrong”. “Ask yourself whether the BJP has done anything wrong for the state and its people. The BJP is not wrong. I can confidently say this because I am not wrong,” he said. He was speaking at Manipur BJP Headquarter Thambal Shanglen, Nityaipat Chuthek in Imphal on March 6 on the sidelines of a virtual function – Nari Shakti Vandan Abhinandan programme, which was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Barasat, West Bengal.
“We have to send two MPs (to Lok Sabha). We will start our campaign from the day after tomorrow (March 8, 2024),” Biren said. No party other than the BJP can save Manipur, he claimed.
Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats – Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur. The Inner Manipur seat is held by Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr Rajkumar Ranjan of the ruling BJP while the Outer Manipur was bagged by Dr Lorho S. Pfoze of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) in the 2019 polls.
Meanwhile, the Co-ordination Committee for Crisis Resolution, Manipur has submitted a written representation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting for postponement of the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2024 in Manipur until the resolution of the protracted conflict.
The Convenor of the Co-Ordination Committee O Sumatibala, addressing the media at Irawat Bhawan, BT Road in Imphal, asserted that it would be impossible for the ECI to conduct a free and fair election in trouble-torn Manipur which has witnessed hundreds of deaths, incineration of homes and properties and the displacement of over 60,000 people during the course of the Manipur crisis.
Moreover, the Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Co-ordinating Committee, a powerful women’s body of the Nupi Keithels (women markets) in Imphal city, said nobody should bring up election matters amidst the prevailing situation in Manipur. Admonishing the government for their inability to end the 10-month Manipur violence, women groups have opposed the move to hold the upcoming General Elections in the state along with the rest of the country.
The Convener of the Committee, Laishram Memma on February 17 addressing media, warned that the people of the strife-torn state will teach a lesson to anyone found engaging in election-related activities by “shaving off their heads.”
Furthermore, the opposition political parties and many political analysts also said that instead of electioneering, the intending candidates and political parties should work in unison to end the violent conflict and restore normalcy first in the state.
They even mentioned that during the foreigners’ agitation in Assam, the Lok Sabha polls were deferred for a year. Similarly, elections in Punjab were also postponed due to the Khalistan movement. Likewise, elections in Jammu and Kashmir were not held during the height of violence.
Several political analysts said holding elections in tough times and emotionally charged atmosphere, when thousands of people displaced by the violent conflict are living in refugee camps and violence continues unabated across the state, will not serve the desired purpose of the election.
Even after the violent conflict that erupted on May 3 last year with Kuki-Zomi militants attacking Meiteis in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and its bordering areas of Bishnupur district has passed 10 months – 312 days on March 9, 2024, the Kuki-Zomi militants’ attacks on the Meitei villages at the foothills still continue.
As Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren informed on March 5 the recently concluded 5th Session of 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, the violent conflict has claimed more than 221 lives of which 198 were civilians including 20 women and 8 children.
In the violent conflict, 13,264 structures were burned down and destroyed.
At least 28 persons are still missing and nine persons of 63 cases of missing persons were found alive. Out of 63 cases, 26 missing persons were declared dead while investigation is underway for two missing persons.
As many as 1555 persons sustained injuries in the ongoing violent conflict. 1429 persons of the 1555 injured persons were civilians while 88 belonged to the state police and 28 were from the central security forces; among them, 334 sustained bullet injuries.
In the violent conflict 61,387 persons are pushed away from their homes and the internally displaced persons are now taking shelter at refugee camps designated as releif camps and houses of their relatives.
Amidst the tragic violent conflict, reports and reliable sources said BJP Manipur is ready for election campaign for the two Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and Manipur Chief Minister seem embolden as the Manipur Assembly has passed the resolutions to abrogate SoO with Kuki-Zomi militants and implementation of NRC, which the State Government cannot do. Now, whether the BJP will go ahead for the coming Parliamentary elections against the wish of the people or not depend on whether both the Central and State Governments want to end the ongoing violence first, and the decision of the Election Commission of India.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
