Modi, Gandhi and Manipur: The impact of action and non-action

There is a book by Toshikazu Kawaguchi called Before the Coffee Gets Cold. The book talks about a café that allows its customers to travel in time, albeit with certain conditions. The author capitalizes on the feeling of regret where the characters long to rectify their actions or, at times, inaction in defining relationships. The moral of the story is to act in time, say the things you must and do the things that matter, and not be bound by assumptions set by ourselves.

Modi

Does the Prime Minister know about such a café? It is highly doubtful. Or is he weary of his charisma not being received in similar fashion in the Northeast? His apparent non-action in Manipur is causing more harm than good. The violence in Manipur has crossed its sixty-day mark; however, he is yet to make a comment on the crisis. A political solution is expected, but what about the people? It is the people who are suffering. It is the people are homeless. It is the people are losing their lives. “A healing touch is needed,” said Congrad Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, while giving his report on the All-Party Meeting held earlier on 24th June. Where is Narendra Modi’s healing touch?

It is incumbent on the present government to solve the issue of Manipur. Blaming Nehruvian/Congress politics of the past, in the characteristic Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fashion, is becoming dull and does not solve anything. Be it Zomi-Kuki or Meitei, a general sense of resentment looms large against Modi and the BJP. Reports suggest that the Prime Minister is “constantly monitoring” the issue of Manipur, unbeknownst to the people. Continued silence will make people deaf to his words, and Manipur for Modi may become a case of too little, too late.

A public figure whose presence is seen and heard in every part of India is now nowhere to be found. His recent Maan Ki Baat broadcast became highly unpopular in Manipur. Visuals of the angry public breaking radios, burning effigies, calling him out on state media reflect the disappointment people feel. Science is yet to find a way to travel back in time, if Modi is to prevent further unpopularity of himself and the BJP, he must act immediately – not behind closed doors but out front where he can be seen and heard; his usual self.

Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress may not necessarily be the solution for Manipur; and Gandhi is, by no means, a saviour. The August 2015 incident where eight tribals were martyred, occurred under O. Ibobi Singh’s administration. Evidently, the on-going crisis is not party-specific, rather the result of generations worth of structural injustice, neglect and discrimination. It is also a case of greed – greed for power, greed for resources and greed for control.

In their suffering, people seek a leader who can provide a moment of respite. Reports of Rahul Gandhi being blocked on his way to Lamka (Churachandpur) yet still making his way by air, has been received positively. Visuals of him visiting relief centres and dining with children is an imagery that will remain in the minds of people. At the very least, people want to be heard and seen. Above everything else, what other leaders can learn from Gandhi’s visit is that they must reach out to the people. Not just in conference rooms, but at the very heart of their suffering.

Amit Shah had made a visit earlier, however, what lacked was, again, that healing touch. His visit seemed to be a mere status inspection and the measures he offered have not brought about a solution, let alone, peace. Equating improvement of the situation with the number of people killed is misleading. Less people killed does not equal improving conditions. The possibility of genocide must be eradicated. The potential of further conflict and displacement must be eliminated.

In the battle of personalities, it is Rahul Gandhi who set foot in Imphal and Lamka first. While the BJP may argue that the Congress is capitalizing on a crisis, a question arises, why is the BJP allowing it to happen? Modi may well have been the one seen dining with children, he could have been the symbol of hope for those who are suffering. He will require much more than a monologue to win the trust of the people and earn his credibility in Manipur and the Northeast, at large.

Politics of the Other

The burden of proving their Indian identity or how some scholars have put it, their “Indianness,” runs deep across Northeast India. The Prime Minister’s silence, rather than alleviating this sense of alienation, adds to the burden. Manipur’s disappointment is justified and neighbouring states are monitoring how the central government is handling the situation. The manner in which the BJP solves the issue of Manipur will become a case study on its policies of the region.

Recent issues like the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) highlight the integrationist leanings of the BJP. However, integration requires, in part, the acceptance of those sought to be integrated. A general disapproval against the UCC in the Northeast serves as an example of its rejection. The UCC can be seen as an ‘imposition of nationalism.’ What it means to be Indian is, thus, tailored by the dominant community and regarded as status quo. Any form of deviation is rejected and ridiculed – what the BJP troll army would brand as “anti-national.”

It is easier for countries, having a more or less homogenous diaspora, to achieve a singular idea of nationalism. But for India, where its diversity is a defining characteristic, imposing a singular idea of nationalism is neither ideal nor practical. If the alienation is to be eliminated, one must acknowledge and accept that “Indianness” does not belong in the realm of just one community. Thus, what it means to be Indian is as diverse as its population and nationalism is not a one-sided affair.

In conclusion, Kawaguchi ends the book with the following,

“But Kazu still goes on believing that, no matter what difficulties people face, they will have the strength to overcome them.”

In the very spirit of democracy, it is not the BJP or Congress that will overcome this crisis; it is the people who shall overcome. They will remember those who stood with them, for them and those who did not.

(Views expressed are personal)