Brinda Thounaojam's Recent Speech Echoes Her Father-in-Law's Ideology: Manipur "Under Martial Law" and Plesbiscite for the Solution

In a recent speech that has gone viral, Mrs. Brinda Thounaojam was seen provoking the public to chop off the heads of Indian army jawans, if the need arises, to protect the integrity and sovereignty of Manipur. In her speech she equated one Meitei life with the lives of hundreds of MAYANG ( a term used for mainlanders by Meteis) security forces deployed in the state of Manipur. She says, “for every Meitei life lost in the hands of MAYANGs, 100 of their necks should be slashed”. One thing that strikes out all throughout her speech was the animosity and enmity towards Indian armed forces, accusing them of being rapists and portraying them as merely intruders that challenge their sovereignty. A foreign person with little to no knowledge of Manipur being a state in INDIA would have mistaken the Indian army as an occupational force capturing a sovereign country and she being a heroic freedom fighter.

Her speech against the Indian army comes in the wake of the central government’s increased deployment of central security forces after a high level meeting held by The Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah. Among the many issues, the active participation in the ongoing ethnic violence and menace created by Meira Paibis towards the security forces was also raised. Thus, Mrs. Brinda’s speech against the backdrop of the decision taken by the central government is rather flabbergasting as she was once the victim of the same Meira Paibis. Thus the question arises as to if she has

finally submitted to their autocracy or if she has always been a believer of his father in-law’s ideology on Manipur. With the close familial ties she has with the present Titular king of Manipur, one of those accused of being a Kingpin behind the rise of the Arambai Tenggol, the main perpetrators of ethnic violence against. The investigative agency must keep a close eye on her family as well.

Other than being a decorated cop in the Manipur police and a politician from the JD(U) which is in alliance with BJP both at the centre and state, she is the daughter in-law of Manipur separatist politician and former chairman of the terrorist organisation UNLF, Mr. Meghen who is believed to be the great grandson of Prince Tikendrajit, the military commander of Manipur kingdom during the Anglo-Manipuri war. Mr. Meghen was arrested in BANGLADESH In 2010. He was charged by the NIA of waging a war on India and raising funds by extorting the state government and private bodies. He was pronounced guilty under 11 sections of the IPC and UAPA by the NIA court. He believes that Manipur is “UNDER MARTIAL LAW” and questioned the character and worthiness of the elections that had been held in Manipur. He is a staunch supporter of PLEBISCITE in Manipur, questioning the Merger agreement of Manipur and india. Mrs. Brinda’s speech echoes these values of Manipur. Thus, the question arises as to whether they have changed the technique for their secessionist movement from military warfare to public movement?

UNLF is the oldest Meitei Insurgent group in the state of Manipur. It aims to establish an independent socialist Manipur. According to some experts, soon after its formation, the UNLF leaders established a political relationship with the authority of the then EAST PAKISTAN and underwent military training in East Pakistan in 1969. Later the group also developed a relationship with China while continuing its relations with Pakistan. It was reported that on June 14, 1975, UNLF leader N. Bishewswar Singh and 16 other Meitei rebels proceeded to Lhasa to seek Chinese assistance. The UNLF has training camps in MYANMAR AND BANGLADESH. It is also reported that among the insurgent groups that receive indirect support from CHINA like NSCN(IM) today, Many of them belong to the Manipur Meitei insurgent/terrorist groups like the PLA .

The successful attempt to bring in UNLF(P) under the ambit of SoO should rather be celebrated with caution. With several Meitei militant groups cooperating with the Myanmar junta, Chin resistance groups have targeted the camps of Meitei groups like the PLA and the UNLF in border areas. Under pressure from the Chin resistance groups in Myanmar, Meitei militants are returning to Manipur (The Quint, December 6, 2023). This includes the Pambei faction, which is aligned with the Tatmadaw (Burmese Army). According to an MHA official, the Pambei group’s decision to sign the agreement with New Delhi was hastened by the pressure it faced in Myanmar from the Chin resistance. It must be noted that both factions of UNLF’s respect for RK Meghen still remains, even as the group split after his retirement. Thus not every civilian will be an innocent civilian they portray themselves to be. The ethnic violence against the Kukis can be a mirage they created for India to justify the driving out of Indian security forces by calling them partial and anti-Meitei.

Arambai Tenggol is suspected to be an agglomeration of all insurgents/terrorist groups, and the suspicion do not come out of thin air. There are video evidences and social media posts of these insurgent group recording themselves on their way to attack the Kukis, and them fighting over not being credited for the attack publicly in social media. Increase in militia activities with rampant extortion, physical assault and murder can not come from thin air without their presence in the state. With Manipur terrorist outfit PLA still being called as China’s “ear and eye”in the North East by military experts and the repeated role of Meira Paibis as rescuers of Meitei armed miscreants and members of terrorist outfits from the clutch of security forces should be a warning sign for India as well. Thus, Ms. Brinda’s speech should be a wake up call for the Indian government and its agencies to revisit its understanding of the secessionist agenda of the Meitei terrorist outfits and its depth of penetration amongst the public needs a proper study. With China’s history of resorting to a proxy war when tension arises between the bilateral relations of the two countries, the GoI needs a proper examination of the involvement of all stakeholders, as they must have by now understood from the ongoing ethnic violence that Meitei interest comes first than that of India’s. Even their government in Manipur is not an exception. inaction against Ms. Brinda by the Biren government and her party leadership in the state is one such glaring example of their allegiance more to their community interest than that of india’s. Indian government must thus recognise that the SOVEREIGNITY and INTEGRITY of India is under threat from Meitei separatist organisation operating in the state of Manipur.