Scripting a new chapter in the political history of insurgency-hit Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh has become the Chief Minister of the State for the third consecutive term. To the surprise of many, the Congress, under Okram’s leadership, won 42 out of 60 seats in the assembly despite mounting threats and intimidations to the party from armed groups. Although the Congress under Ibobi has won a comfortable majority and there is virtually no opposition even in the Assembly, yet the fact remains that Ibobi has a hard task ahead of him to deliver not just on the economic front but how well he is able to manage the delicate political situation in Manipur could perhaps be his biggest challenge. Who better than the former Union Home Secretary G.K Pillai would know about what we are talking about here in this column. Earlier this year Pillai on a lecture tour to the Northeast described Manipur as “perhaps the most problematic state in the North East as no genuine dialogue has yet taken place with the insurgent groups”. Not only that but what was very insightful was his revelation that “the disconnect between the State government and the Government of India on how to tackle the security situation and the consequent social and economic fallout was “more worrying.” Pillai also went on to allege that the State police force in Manipur had become “politicized” and “highly dysfunctional.” And as per the former Union Home Secretary, the ongoing peace process with the Nagas has a bearing on the “contours of peace in Manipur”, which according to him is “still not clear”, although he also went on to state that the “Government of India has repeatedly stressed, respects the territorial integrity of Manipur and of other States in the northeast”. So you see the Ibobi Singh led Congress government should wake up to the reality of the Naga people’s own aspiration for an Alternative Arrangement even as the Nagas in Manipur may well have to accept, for now, the present (physical) territorial integrity of Manipur.
The importance of carefully managing the politics of Manipur is going to be crucial for the new Congress regime and it should begin right at the start—formation of an inclusive and strong government, one that is representative of all sections and thereby having the confidence to run government. However the present state of affairs in Manipur requires more than just a stable or inclusive government. It will require leadership foresight and a deft handling of the sensitive issues. The new Congress government under Ibobi will have to realize from the beginning that development alone will not solve the present crisis facing the State and its people. There has to be a genuine offer of dialogue from the government’s side on the range of issues whether it is the aspiration of the Kukis for greater (district) autonomy or the Nagas for an Alternative Arrangement. The Congress government in Manipur should not be under the impression that it has won an absolute majority to impose its diktat on the people. Rather it should not lose this opportunity to reach out and listen to the other side. One of the problems with the state of affairs in Manipur seems to be that there is no proper channel of communication to address issues. There is no room for negotiation and mutual understanding to take place. Add to this is the high trust deficit, which is hindering any sort of dialogue from even taking place. What Manipur urgently needs is dialogue and building bridges across the present sharp divide. Hopefully with dialogue as the centerpiece of the new regime in Manipur, there will be no more communication breakdown and the resultant divisive discourse that has come to dominate Manipur State.
