Not theatrics of speeches and assurances, peace in Manipur 'needs a clear roadmap'

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur is being planned amid his scheduled visits to Assam and Mizoram on September 13. The visit is significant given his long silence since the ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur in May 2023. Except for rare occasions when pressed by the opposition in Parliament, the Prime Minister has chosen not to speak on the crisis.

His party, the BJP, along with its affiliates, has long been accused of being soft on the Meitei community, which constitutes the majority in Manipur. Many observers hold the party’s majoritarian politics responsible for inciting violence against the Kuki community, the second-largest group in the state. The project of bringing ethnic majorities into the Hindu fold in pursuit of a Hindu nation has added fuel to the fire. The Meiteis, once largely animist and even secessionist, now claim Hindu nationalist identity as the “original inhabitants” of Manipur, while branding Kukis as illegal immigrants from Myanmar.

Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, himself a Meitei, has received tacit backing from the Centre to implement measures that targeted Kuki tribals. Under the guise of protecting forests, biometric checks to identify alleged illegal immigrants, and accusations of drug trafficking, the administration has displaced large numbers of Kukis. Meanwhile, mobs from the Meitei community have looted police and army stockpiles of arms, further escalating the violence.

Prime Minister Modi’s silence appears driven by ideological considerations, but the consequences go far beyond Manipur. The conflict has created a humanitarian crisis marked by deaths, displacement, and systematic violence, while also undermining India’s Act East policy. Projects linking India with Myanmar and Thailand have been stalled, and India’s efforts to deepen ties with Southeast Asia have been weakened. At a time when India faces high tariffs in the US market and must diversify its economic partnerships, unrest in Manipur undercuts both unity and the push toward self-reliance.

It is ironic that the Prime Minister, who regularly speaks on varied issues through his Mann Ki Baat program, has avoided addressing Manipur. The state has seen gruesome acts ranging from burning people alive to stripping and assaulting women, alongside the destruction of both churches and temples. Yet displaced families continue to live in dire conditions with little aid. President’s rule has increased military and police control, but it has not alleviated human suffering.

After a court ruling sought to extend privileges of minority status to the Meitei majority, the state machinery was seen working hand in glove with them, deepening the perception of systemic ethnic cleansing. Constitutional safeguards for minority communities—their language, culture, and heritage—are now under serious threat.

If Prime Minister Modi’s visit turns into a spectacle of optics and assurances, it will fail the people of Manipur. What is urgently needed is a roadmap for peace, firm assurances on minority protections, and a concrete plan to address the humanitarian crisis. India’s strength lies in its ability to preserve unity in diversity. If that glue is torn apart, the trend of ethnic cleansing and demands for autonomy may spread across other regions.

The ideological baggage of majoritarianism must be set aside in the interest of national cohesion. Assuming normalcy under President’s rule is nothing more than wishful thinking. Only a deliberate effort at reconciliation and protection of constitutional rights can bring real peace to Manipur.

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*Senior Lecturer, SVM Autonomous College, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha

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