S Jaishankar Betrays Loyal Indian Citizens, His Speech Reflects Flawed Understanding of Manipur Dynamics

The class of Indian politicians who could not differentiate loyal and renegade citizens keeps on increasing. Keeping aside the feeling of betrayal and hurt psyche of the loyal citizens, the sanctum sanctorum of the nation’s institutions is blotted by their flawed understanding of issues pertaining to the national security and integrity of India. The case in point is the continued furtherance of divisive rhetoric by political bigwigs, who fall prey to factual inconsistency and lies propagated by secessionist and anti-national elements.

Responding to a query on Manipur problem during a conversation at the Council of Foreign Relations in New York a couple of days back, India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said “One part of the problem in Manipur has been the destabilising impact of migrants who have come.” According to the Foreign Minister, ‘destabilising impact of migrants’ is one aspect of Manipur’s problem.

Earlier on August 9, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a discussion on a no-confidence motion in Parliament, offered a contorted explanation of the ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur. He said the violence was triggered by an influx of Kukis from Myanmar into Manipur, which ‘created insecurities among Meiteis.’

The statement of Home Minister Amit Shah and now Foreign Minister S Jaishanker was nothing but a reinforcement of politically motivated divisive rhetoric propagated by the Meiteis (including their politicians, CSOs and Media). In endorsing the narratives of the Meiteis (perhaps due to ‘political’ consideration), Amit Shah or Jaishanker did not know that what they stand for (on Manipur’s violence) is self-defeating for India. Perhaps, they are not aware that they are promoting secessionism. Their speeches reflected their flawed understanding of the dynamics of Manipur.

Before and after the ongoing ethnic conflagration, the Meiteis (including N Biren and radical Meitei groups) spared no effort to hard-sell the rhetoric that Kukis are ‘illegal immigrants’ from Burma. Meiteis’ younger generations are indoctrinated with such belief. But when challenged by several Kuki bodies to substantiate the claims, neither the Meiteis nor the political class in Delhi could offer any explanation. To the Meiteis, it is ostensibly more convenient to demonize or otherize the Kukis instead of redressing their long grievances pertaining to their land and rights. And to the political class in Delhi, endorsing the Meitei narrative is quite expedient to divert from its failures.
N Biren Singh and his cohorts succeeded in selling their narratives about the Kukis and the present imbroglio to the political party he belongs. The consequence was there for all to see.

In fact, the selective targeting of Kukis fuelled by extreme hatred is the main reason behind Manipur violence. The negligence of the grievances of the minority Kukis by successive Manipur governments coupled with its longstanding efforts to label them as outsiders has done irreparable damages.

It is general knowledge that the crisis in Myanmar or influx of Kuki migrants from Myanmar is not related with the present Manipur violence. However, N Biren Singh and Meiteis created false alarm, but to their advantage. Indeed, the Valley Based Underground/Insurgent Groups (VBUG/VBIGs), who made bases in Myanmar, are directly affected by the unrest there. Their bases are destabilised. As such, the pressure was gradually on Manipur Government and Meitei CSOs. In their attempt to make room for the VBIGs to operate in Manipur, they colluded to create such situation as witnessed now.

On the other hand, they manufactured narratives to suit their interest and peddled to every stratum. Indian politicians deliberately missed to note the crux and choose to tread in dangerous territory which is totally against the idea of India as a nation. This toxicity is certainly pushing Manipur into the vortex of irrationality and violence as witnessed now.

India is not about BJP or Congress alone. Truth should always be the guiding principle as the Father of India Mahatma Gandhi espouses.

The feeling of betrayal by Kukis, whose loyalty to India through waves of history can only be compensated by granting them a separate State within the ambit of Indian constitution. Nothing less and nothing more would better compensate their hurt psyche. The loose labelling of Kukis as illegal immigrants stem from the Govt’s persistent failure to demarcate a clear boundary of our ancestral land.

Related Article: Part of Manipur problem due to migrants: S Jaishankar (Click here to read)