The buck should stop with the PM Offensives from the sky
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If one goes by what Chief Minister N Biren has had to say, then the buck should stop with the Prime Minister. It was as recent as July 11 this year that the Chief Minister dished out yet another show of utter ‘loyalty’ to Narendra Modi when he pointedly said that ‘the question of whether or not Prime Minister visits the State is irrelevant since his administration maintains constant communication with him all the times.’ The Chief Minister’s observation or demonstration of loyalty to the Prime Minister came just two days after LOP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rang out the need for the Prime Minister to visit the ‘war’ ravaged State and apply the healing balm to the people who have been reeling under a state of war for over 15 months. Read the assertion of the Chief Minister with the instruction of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, ‘You look after the valley, I will look after the hills,’ some time in 2023 and this should be more than enough reason to hold Delhi responsible for the free hands given to the Kuki militants to fire and kill the Meiteis at will. On September 1 and 2 Koutruk and Kadangband and the adjoining areas came under aerial attacks from the Kuki militants who resorted to weaponised drones and in the process killed a young mother and injured her daughter. This was besides the destruction caused to many dwelling houses. Fast forward to September 6 and from weaponised drones, the Kuki militants resorted to rocket propelled bombs and launched yet another aerial attack and in the process killed an elderly man at Moirang, besides injuring at least five others. The rocket propelled bomb was followed by drone vigil later in the evening, if one goes by what has gone viral on the social media. This is the situation in Moirang right now and nothing illustrates the anger and disappointment of the people with the Government than the very public chastisement of CAF and PD Minister L Susindro and Moirang AC MLA Thongam Shanti when they had gone to visit the residence of the slain man in the evening. The public chastisement came along with the stand of the public to not allow the Minister and the MLA proceed to the residence of the deceased. ‘Get out’ was in short the message conveyed to the said Minister and the MLA and one wonders if the State Government would have the conviction to convey the sentiments of the public to Delhi or not. Or will it be a case of Namaste and Yes Saar if and when the BJP leaders of Manipur are summoned to Delhi to discuss the issue ? The answer is anyone’s guess. And adding to the angst and disappointment of the public must obviously be the statement delivered by the Prime Minister on the floor of the Rajya Sabha not so long back that peace is gradually returning to Manipur. And remember this was followed by the proclamation of the Chief Minister that normalcy would return within six months and this is a statement that was delivered at the end part of August.
To the Government and the keepers of records, the young woman killed at Koutruk on September 1 and the elderly man killed at Moirang on September 6 would just be two more figures to be added to the total number of people killed in the ongoing clash, but to the people of Manipur, they will be much more than mere statistics. A point which Delhi, Imphal and the Prime Minister have refused to acknowledge. It is a human tragedy that is being scripted on the ground here and what does Delhi say ? Nothing other than flying in 60,000 more security personnel to help maintain law and order. Statistics don’t lie, they say and going by this then what are the 60,000 troops doing ? A case of sending the 60,000 personnel to ensure the security of the Kuki militants and give them the leeway to launch aerial attacks whenever they please ? It has repeatedly been said in this column, but here is a repeat again. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep concern over the arms looted from the different police stations and armouries, but why has no word been said about the arms being used by the Kuki militants ? It is not only guns but even something as sophisticated as weaponised drones and RPGs and why is Delhi still mum on this ? Or does this say something profound about the alleged partisan position adopted by the Central security personnel, particularly the Assam Rifles ? Even as this is being written down, information has been received at the office of this newspaper that Kuki militants have launched yet another offensive at Khamen-lok after intense surveillance by drones. The tragic script continues to run.
To the Government and the keepers of records, the young woman killed at Koutruk on September 1 and the elderly man killed at Moirang on September 6 would just be two more figures to be added to the total number of people killed in the ongoing clash, but to the people of Manipur, they will be much more than mere statistics. A point which Delhi, Imphal and the Prime Minister have refused to acknowledge. It is a human tragedy that is being scripted on the ground here and what does Delhi say ? Nothing other than flying in 60,000 more security personnel to help maintain law and order. Statistics don’t lie, they say and going by this then what are the 60,000 troops doing ? A case of sending the 60,000 personnel to ensure the security of the Kuki militants and give them the leeway to launch aerial attacks whenever they please ? It has repeatedly been said in this column, but here is a repeat again. Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep concern over the arms looted from the different police stations and armouries, but why has no word been said about the arms being used by the Kuki militants ? It is not only guns but even something as sophisticated as weaponised drones and RPGs and why is Delhi still mum on this ? Or does this say something profound about the alleged partisan position adopted by the Central security personnel, particularly the Assam Rifles ? Even as this is being written down, information has been received at the office of this newspaper that Kuki militants have launched yet another offensive at Khamen-lok after intense surveillance by drones. The tragic script continues to run.