Continuous blockade, Centre’s indifference to dominate
Manipur poll scene?
By Jagdamba Mall
Following stiff opposition from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam after local medias’ revelation on the Centre’s move to provide a ‘Supra State’ status to Nagaland, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi rushed to Imphal on December 3, 2011 to alley the fears that there is no such move. Earlier, Home Minister P Chidambaram had also stated that he was not aware of such move. Addressing a public rally at Kangla fort in Imphal on December 3, the PM said that he and his government were committed to protect the territory of Manipur. Home Secretary RK Singh in his off the record briefing told reporters on December 2, 2011 that local media has got their story right as NSCN was indeed offered a Supra State as a substitute for Nagalim during the course of negotiations. But Singh said that the government had backed off considering the adverse fall out of the proposal. That explains why the PM has taken it upon himself to back off from the Supra State concept and make it clear in so many words during his Manipur visit. Making no commitment to the people of state of frequent economic blockades he wished such incidents would not happen again. He said “There are no winners and all are losers.”
Notwithstanding the bomb blast that had killed one and injured four ahead of the visit Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi said they were happy with the improvement of law and order in the state. Both the leaders failed to condole several hundred people including over a 100 Hindi speaking people killed by terrorists in Imphal valley from where the AFSPA has been withdrawn from 2004 onwards under the pressure of militant organisations and Human Right activists.
Manipur is a failed state. It has been bedeviled by bandhs, protests and violence obviously under the pressure from under-grounds and human right organisations sponsored allegedly by church and foreign forces who want the AFSPA to go. The majority Meitei population vowing to go at any length to protect the territorial integrity against the demand for integration of Naga areas with Nagaland, the Kuki community demanding a separate hill district (Sadar Hills) and Nagas demanding a “separate alternative arrangement” outside Manipur severing all ties with the Manipur government and strongly opposed to inclusion of any land for creation of the Sadar Hills district—all these contrary and contradictory demands by various conflicting communities have made Manipur volatile, volcanic and restless. The conflicts and counter-conflicts have become order of the day because there are no immediate solutions and the instigating forces are rife.
Manipur has faced unprecedented 120 days of economic blockade starting from August 1 on both the Highways—NH 39 (Imphal – Kohima – Dimapur – Guwahati) and NH 53 (Imaphal-Jiribam-Silchar-Guwahati)- the two arteries of Manipur. As a result, the prices of essential commodities have gone sky high and life saving drugs has disappeared from the market. The cost of petrol went upto 240 per litre, diesel 200 per litre, gas cylinder Rs 2000/- per cylinder and the cost of kitchen commodities touched sky high. The private and civil hospitals in Imphal valley and else where in the state dried up of medicines and oxygen cylinders. As a result, the patient mortality has increased multi-fold. The children, expecting mothers and patients of serious diseases are worst-hit. The business is destroyed. The students are also worst-hit due to loss-of academic year because of frequent bandhs and terrorists’ gun-trotting. Because of that, brain-drain has taken place.
No sooner than the Kuki blockade began by Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) for a separate Sadar Hill District out of existing Senapati district dominated by Nagas fearing the state government may give into the demand, Nagas under the leadership of United Naga Council, UNC, imposed a parallel blockade with a message to the government they will never agree to such a district and their own blockade is warning of the shape of things ahead if they are not heeded.
The Kukis have since withdrawn their blockade after the government gave them the assurance that the Sardar Hills district would be formed after the District Reorganisation Committee submitted its report but the Nagas resent this and continued their part of the blockade. On December 1, 2011 UNC also lifted the blockade at their own for the reasons not known to the public. The Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi visited Imphal on December 3.
The Nagas claim that the Sadar Hills region in Senapati district is part of a Naga ancestral homeland and that Kukis who are later migrants into the area cannot be more than their tenants at best. They also overtly implied in press statements that Kukis by their demand for a separate district are also negating Nagas’ intended imagined homeland (Nagalim) put- forth by NSCN (IM) and this was objectionable to the Nagas. A compromise being stubbornly ruled out by either side, though the Naga blockade has been lifted unconditionally there is still no end to the trouble in sight.
The Meities are the target
The Meities are third major ethnic group in Manipur, the first and second being the non-Naga non-Meitei group and the Naga group. These Meiteis are committed Vaishnav Hindu drawing inspirations from Vedas Puranas, Gita, Mahabharat and Ramayan. They draw lessons from glorious history of Bharatvarsh. They go on pilgrimage of Ayodhya, Mathura, Vrindavan, Haridwar, Rameswaram and Somnath etc. Sangam Snan at least once in a life-time is last wish of every Meitei Hindu—men and women both. Tulsi mala in the neck and Chandan teeka at forehead after morning snan are must for every member of Meitei family. Gita, Mahabharat, Ramayan, Bhagwat, Puran and all other Hindu scriptures including Vedas are must in each literate Meitei family. Their culture and way of life are unparallel. Their Raas-leela and various forms of folk dances are unparallel through-out the globe. Their patriotism is like a unbreakable wall at north eastern international border adjacent to Myanmar and Bangladesh which are under close proximity of China. As long as their Rashtriya Samaj—the Meiteis and their allies are economically, culturally, religiously and academically strong, the conspiracy hatched by internal and external enemies threatening the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation shall not succeed. The conversion crusade of Church and missionary menace will not succeed as long as the Meitei community stands united with firm belief in their forefathers heritage religion, and culture.
The nexus of Church, NSCN (IM) of Nagaland, UNLF of Manipur and ULFA of Assam, ISI and Communist forces.
The Church did the same in Nagaland under the slogan—“Nagaland for Christ” and destroyed the glorious history of their forefathers, their precious religion and colorful ancient culture. Simultaneously, Muslim infiltrators are pouring in. Maoists are gaining ground. And thus, Manipur is withering away day in and day out. ?
The Church and Church sponsored terrorist organisations of Nagaland, Manipur and Assam, ISI and Islamist terrorist organisations, Maoists, pseudo-secularist Hindu political leaders and rabidly communal politicians from Christian and Muslim communities and anti-nationals working in the garb of human right activists have formed a nexus to target the Meiteis NSCN (IM) of Nagaland, UNLF of Manipur and ULFA of Assam though they have lost their ground in the areas of their operation, are still bargaining and blackmailing the respective state Governments and the Central Government. The Church is on the conversion spree of Meiteis under protective cover of Naga militant organisations. And even UNLF of Manipur and other Manipuri terrorist organisations do not oppose Church’s conversion crusade because church allegedly provides them classified information about Army and requisite resources to militant organisations for perpetuating them. The reverends and pastors are allegedly employed for performing the job of spies. The dubious foreign NGOs have mushroomed in Manipur and Nagaland. The Chinese language study centres have been opened in both the states. Medicos Sans Frontier (MSF)—an Americal medical agency with doubtful integrity is spreading its wings in both the states Korean Christian missionaries are hired to preach the gospel to Meiteis. Meitei Christian converts are rewarded with huge money and foreign trips. The Church has declared “Manipur For Christ” which means Christianity is the only recognised religion. The Church pronounces at the top of their voice that all other religions prevalent in Manipur viz Tingkao Raguang Chapriak (TRC), indigenous religions of various Janjatis and Hindu Dharma of Meiteis are satanic leading to eternal hell fire. The Church did the same in Nagaland under the slogan—“Nagaland for Christ” and destroyed the glorious history of their forefathers, their precious religion and colorful ancient culture. Simultaneously, Muslim infiltrators are pouring in. Maoists are gaining ground. And thus, Manipur is withering away day in and day out.
Government’s apathy
In the most atrocious way, the state government continues to do little to either resolve the crisis or enforce the law and order by force and seem only content waiting and watching till the agitators tire out. The Central Government too appears to be in complete apathy. Because of this, there has been a growing demand from all concerned for the imposition of Presidents Rule.
The demonising of Army
The country today is faced with multi-dimensional challenges and the army has to measure up to these threats to our national security. The nation needs to accordingly equip itself with state-of-the-art weaponry and hone our skill through relentless training and immunity provided through necessary laws to deliver the required response to our adversaries, external forces and their internal stooges. In this context, it is pertinent to note that Army has to be strengthened with AFSPA to deal with internal threats posed by foreign sponsored terrorists’ organisations. But the army is being demonised by a some of Human Right activities with doubtful integrity in league with selfish political leaders. Simultaneously, Irom Chanu Sharmila of Manipur who is allegedly the mask of terrorist organisations is being glorified as iron lady. In this context, the Rashtriya Samaj is required to come forward in defence of Manipur while Meitei civil society is required to resist the divisive and dubious forces with all might to uphold the glory and cultural identity inherited from their forefathers. Manipur should not meet the fate of Nagaland where Church and insurgency are two sides of the same coin and reportedly 40,000 Nagas have lost their lives not in encounter with army but in the war of supremacy between NNC, NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K).
The Church described Naga forefathers as wild, savage, pagan, heathen, cannibal, dirty and head-hunters with satanic practices. The Church described Nagas’ eternal religions and festivals as satanic practices leading to eternal hell fire. Surprisingly, the Nagas reverends and pastors parroting the same condemnation taught and professed by Church. No community in the world condemns his forefathers as Nagas shamelessly do. The Meiteis should be aware of this conspiracy of Church and they should not allow their glorious culture and religion to be demonised by Church and its hirelings.
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