Shekhar Gupta of the The Print revealed that his episodes (videos and columns) on Manipur have lower readership and viewership. This is an obvious indication of the general apathy to the pains of the “Jewelled land”. For the ‘mainland’ India Manipur is just one of the states in the distant north-east, a region of little significance. 

The horrifying footages of red flames, black smoke, burned homes, shattered churches and charred vehicles do not shock and outrage the people. The stories of the ‘day and night’ riots that killed scores of innocents, left many widowed and orphaned, forced women and children to fee do not evoke emotion. The reports of the number of deaths and misplaced thousands don’t prick people’s conscience. The cramped, under-stress relief and refugee camps that lack food, water and medicines don’t draw empathy. 

The fresh cycles of violence where armed groups attack villages of the minorities, the sight of women blocking or confronting security forces, the arson that torched the house of state and union ministers are not bothering enough. The sound of guns and bullets don’t shake one’s being. The description of conflict as ‘ethnic cleansing’, ‘civil war’, ‘genocide’ and ‘pogrom’ is not of any concern.

Over and above this worrisome indifference of people is the total silence of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Silence is complicity to violence! For the BJP’s electoral wins, the Prime Minister found time in February 2017 and 2022 but spares no schedule for a violence-ridden state that has seen 140 or more deaths, displaced 50,000 residents, turned 4,500 homes to ashes and battered churches. The deteriorating law and order, the escalating violence, the collapse of the Constitutional Machinery, the demand for President’s Rule, the ineffective security forces, the abject failure of the state government to quell the unrest, the actual separation of Zo people (Kukis) and the Meiteis  are not serious enough to utter a word. 

Even post the Karnataka elections and prompt visit to the Odisha train tragedy site, Modi found no space for the Manipur human disaster. In his latest ‘Mann ki Baat’ he talked about the cyclone in Gujarat but was mum on the ravaged Manipur. In disgust, the Manipur citizens broke their transistors publicly. Even the moving appeal from children like 9-year-old Deborah to intervene has fallen on deaf ears.

When the Prime Minister himself feels nothing for the sufferings why should the rest care? When the head of the government turns his back on Manipur why millions of his followers sense the pain. After all, the location is in a corner of the country whose history, culture, demography and geography is obscure.

Initially the national press and television channels ignored the mayhem in the state between Assam and Myanmar. The elections in Karnataka were covered comprehensively dedicating much of the space to the Prime Minister being showered with rose petals in the Bangalore rally. The media focussed on ‘The Kerala Story’ but snubbed the Churachandpur and Imphal ethnic clash. The PM’s speech in election-bound Rajasthan was telecast live but the riots in the BJP-ruled state was overlooked. 

The international media’s reportage on the Meitei-Kuki clash is quite sketchy. Prominent television channels picked up the May 3 ethnic clash three to four days later but have gone almost silent now. The print and digital segments do give a little more attention to the new wave of killings and swamping of villages by mobs aided by armed ‘private armies’. It is also noted that the international media depend on their correspondents in Delhi. No reporter is present in Imphal. The government may have declined them entry.

Mysterious, but the mute mode of the PM is not to be seen as an endorsement of the BJP’s failure, both at the centre and the state. But it is also a strategy to keep the Manipur bloodshed under wrap as much as possible. If the PM tweets more attention will be on the Myanmar border state. The scrutiny will be more intense. Modi’s scheduled visit to the US was from 20 June. His first state visit was set much before the outbreak of the Manipur violence. An international scrutiny on the Manipur turmoil would hit the PM’s image. So, to keep up his international image, silence is a deliberate choice. It does not matter even if Manipur continues the chaos provided his image is intact abroad.

The new spell of violence is basically attacks on the Kuki villages situated on the foothills. Mobs by the hundreds from the Manipur valley along with armed groups would attack the villages late night or at dawn. Men villagers only try to defend themselves. Gunfire would break out between the rival groups. The volunteers defending the villages are outnumbered. Their only option is to flee but many die fighting. Women and children usually abandon their houses for safer locations before the fall of their villages. 

In the meantime a new tactic is employed. Meitei women would block the security forces to give time to the attackers to accomplish their target. It is sad that women who could play a key role for peace are being used as human shields. It is feared these are planned assaults to drive the minority tribes as far as possible from the valley. The violence is also on the BJP. The houses of a union minister and a state minister have come under attack. Fire is also exchanged when the security forces prevent armed groups from proceeding to attack villages. Casualties have occurred.

Why is the violence going on unabated for more than six weeks? Who are hell-bent on continuing with the arson? The blame is usually on ‘mobs’. But who are mobilising the mobs? Ground sources point fingers at two groups dubbed as ‘private armies’ -- the Arambai Tenggol and the Meetei Leepun. Members of these radical Meitei groups are suspected to be unleashing the “pre-planned” communal violence up to this point. Allegedly linked to the RSS, these Bajrang Dal like black T-shirt clad men, spread hate and terror. Sources reveal that these groups are reportedly patronised by the Chief Minister, N Biren Singh and the BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP, Leishemba Sanajaoba. 

Pramot Singh, chief of the Meitei Leepun, in an interview, threatened to execute a ‘bigger blow’ that would wipe out a 15-km Kuki-dominated stretch. The ‘Meitei Pride’ outfit warned of ‘civil war’ against the “outsiders and “tenants” (not indigenous to Manipur), the Kukis. The organisation’s leader also confessed that he “worships” the Chief Minister. Banning these radical groups or at least disarming them (a large number of sophisticated arms were looted from state police commandos) is the solution to the Manipur ills. Biren Singh also should be removed. He is the problem and not a solution.

One of the points stressed over and over is that the Manipur madness has no religious angle. Then why were the 249 Meitei churches targeted systematically in the valley? A church official has indicated the attacks were planned, otherwise how did mobs know the exact locations? Church officials are also being told not to rebuild the places of worship. Even now churches are being burnt down. A narrative is being circulated that the destruction of churches was a reaction to Hindu temples being destroyed. This is not true. The media has not shown any vandalised temple. Local sources say a roadside altar was destroyed near Imphal but the unfortunate incident took place after the destruction of churches, sometime towards May-end.

Meitei Christians are coming out denying any religious motive. At this juncture when emotions and ethnic attachments are high this is expected. They may be under pressure. There is no question of blaming anyone but how does a group that believes in ‘love your enemies’ commit atrocities against fellow humans? How do believers in ahimsa (non-violence) perpetuate such a sustained violent act? Religion is practised only among kindred and during peaceful times. How does the ‘Kangleipak nation’, a civilisation dating back to 2,500 years ago or even pre-historic period whose written constitution was developed in the early 12th century, come to such a sorry state?

Most of the media outlets talk about the ethnic fault-lines, namely the ethnic and religious compositions and the plain and hill divide besides issues like the demand for ST status for Meiteis, illegal migrants, forests reserves and poppy cultivation. But few have dared to ask the right questions. Rajdeep Sardesai has asked whether both the centre and state governments have blood on their hands; whether the failure of the ‘two engines’ should lead to the only option, President’s rule. 

Karan Thapar has questioned PM’s deafening silence and whether the Kukis should get a separate administration since a separation has effectively taken place. In Imphal valley and other Meitei-dominated areas not a single Kuki is left behind. Similarly in

Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and other Kuki majority districts no Meitei remains. At the moment the return looks impossible. Why not live as good neighbours?

I end my case by posing a question: Are we affected by anything happening in the East beyond ‘Chicken Neck’?