Manipur and Meitei: A severely abused state and a community for trying to be sane and mainstream in a highly charged and troubled region
Manipur, by now most in India must have heard due to the recent violence in the violence ridden state. The mainstream narrative of majority Meitei oppressing the minority Kuki is the most likely version many have absorbed from the MSMs.
From a 2000+ years of independent kingdom to a forced merger to gifted Kabaw valley to Part C state to AFSPA to violent inclusion of Manipuri/Meiteilon in scheduled list to constant attempt to break/change the territorial integrity, the list goes on. The point is Manipur has been abused multiple times severely for wanting to be sane in a troubled region.
The most politically correct expression about the annexation of Manipur to the union of India is ‘less than desirable’. Instead of starting with a full fledged state under India it was reduced to a Part C from an independent kingdom and a country with a constitution earlier than India.
Once under Part C state with little to no representation of the people in the state, the Meitei was slapped with MLR act 1960 following the exact footsteps of the colonial mindset of British and restricted the Meitei to hardly 6-8% of the state while the remaining populace can enjoy the 100% of the state. This this the moment the seeds of hatred planted in the modern Indian context of Manipur.
The full statehood came much later than other states of NE region which was basically carved out of Assam. The insults by Indian government continues.
The state once welcomed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to hoist the first tricolour flag in Moirang had been forced to insurgency movement. Instead of addressing concerns of the people, India imposed AFSPA and the abuse of the system and decades of extra-judicial killing continued even after the Emas protested naked in front of Kangla calling Indian army to rape them too. This happened after the brutal raping, butchering and physical abuse of Manorama by Indian forces.
Kangla is the most revered place as the Capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Kangleipak. During British time, Assam Rifles was stationed inside the Kangla as a show of strength and symbol of colonialism. After independence, India continued the same even after repeated protests, memorandums after memorandums and what not. It was only after that protest by Emas in 2004, the key to Kangla was handed over to the people of Manipur.
Immediately after Manipur was under India, the then Prime Minister Nehru gifted Kabaw valley as a goodwill gesture for/to Burma without a single consent from the people of Manipur. Kabaw valley was under Kangleipak with bloods and sweats of whole people of Kangleipak. In the eyes of many in Manipur, the land was gifted just like that by an overnight overlord which even British didn’t do but Indian overlord did just like that.
India practically neglected Manipur and continued the shifting and settlement of many illegal Burmese Chin-Kuki aliens as records have shown. For India with 1.4 billion people, a couple of lakhs immigrant may sound peanuts but in a state of around 30 lakhs it matters a lot especially when it is inhibited by 34+ tribes and the illegal aliens are of one particular community. A ticking time bomb was counting down and India practically let it continue until the bomb exploded in 2023.
Meiteis naturally a Tribe is not in the list of schedule tribe and just like any legitimate demand, it has been stalled for more than a decade in the fear others will object. The ones being a tribe shouldn’t depend on the threat of other tribes.
During the infamous bombing on in its own citizens, Manipur was again abused by keeping the topic of snatching away a portion of Manipur to Mizoram open for later.
During the Naga issue, Manipur was again in limelight. The number of times Manipur has been abused since the annexation to Union of India is more than a few.
Meitei is the scapegoat of every problem in Manipur. The elected members siphoned off all the funds and blame the Meitei people for taking all the funds and fuel the hatred towards Meitei.
Coming to the current abuse, everyone agrees there are illegal Kuki aliens continuing since decades, poppy plantation with plenty of video evidence, militants with sophisticated guns pointing down on farmers, yet government of India fails to act distinctly.
The abuse of Manipur and Meitei continues while the state and Meitei continues to pay taxes and produce excellent army officers, sportspersons, intellects, arts and culture, scientists whatever abusive the treatment is.
