Manipur: Unity in Division? - Donn Morgan Kipgen

WHAT has been going on in Manipur is very unfortunate and is a sign of bleaker things to come. It's beginning to resemble Germany of the early 1930s.If Article 371C of the Indian Constitution is not honoured and implemented to the fullest, then things could go really bad.

Most unfortunately, It all started with the stand made by the State Govt over the Hill Areas Committee and the Hill Areas Bill. It was clearly reported that the All Tribal Student's Union(ATSUM) and HAC members drafted the Hill Areas Bill but changes had been made. This seemed to enrage the ATSUM leaders.

Understandably, ATSUM leaders were against the tabling of the new Hill Areas Bill which apparently gave more authority to the State Govt against the spirit of the Art 371C.Under the Art 371C, the President and Governor of Manipur are entrusted to look after the affairs of the Hill Areas under the Hill Areas Committee(HAC). The President may make recommendations to the Central Govt which in turn send them to the State Govt for the HAC to do the needful.

Under Art 371C, the State Govt alone cannot directly interfere in the affairs of the HAC, ie, without the authorisations of the President and the Central Govt. Of course, the State Govt looks after the interests of the HAC since the Hill Areas are parts of Manipur. It begs a question as to how things became controversial so suddenly. What questionable points are being put into the Hill Areas Bill by the State Govt? That's what the public needs to know fully.

In 1969, the Union Home Secretary sent a directive to prepare a blue-print for separate administrations for Hills and Valley Areas respect. That was kept somewhere away from the public knowledge for more than 50 years. The Central Govt wanted to set up separate administrations in the Union Territory of Manipur. Nothing was done to make that directive into a reality. But that was not the end of the story. It came back as Art 371C of the Constitution.

Instead of separate administrations for both the Hill and Valley Areas in Manipur, the Central Govt made that 1969 Directive into a more acceptable solution by adding Art 371C in the Constitution, creation of HAC for Hill Areas Administration under the direct authority of the President of India and the Governor of Manipur. When Manipur was about to attain its statehood, no one objected to the existence of Art 371C.Everything has been going on smoothly.

But now, the opposition of Art 371C has suddenly started growing. Political leaders, learned scholars and patriotic citizens need to accept the existence and authority of the HAC instead of the proposed separation administration in the Hill Areas of Manipur. That brings total unity in diversity in Manipur.

If the burning of a van was quickly dealt with by the Law Enforcement, there would not have been a "retaliatory act" and no need for shutting down of the Internet System. If no action is taken in such criminal activity immediately, the other "plaintive" group would surely decide to take the law into their own hands naturally. Since the arson was connected with the economic blockade, the State Govt should have moved in quickly to prevent communal enmity.

Since the wheels of disharmony have been allowed to spin on its own, there is an apprehension of communal violence which is most unlikely in present day Manipur. Once again, the main culprit was identified as "Social Media" which is also considered as the best solution to bring peace by shutting down the Internet System. The good citizens are not to be blamed on this issue whatsoever. Jai Hind!

*via MA: 09/08/2022*

 

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