Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Manipur is being planned amid his scheduled visits to Assam and Mizoram on September 13 of this month as per reports from credible sources. His visit carries enormous significance considering Prime Minister Modi’s astounding silence for more than two years since the ethnic conflict erupted in Manipur in May 2023 except for rare occasions when he was compelled by the opposition in the Parliament to speak on the issue. Prime Minister Modi and his BJP party as well as its affiliates have long been viewed being soft on the Meitei ethnic community- constituting the majority ethnic group of Manipur in its role towards instigating the violence against Kuki community – the second largest minority ethnic group. The party’s engagement in majoritarian politics that is to support the majority ethnic communities of all states and bring them to Hindu fold (except those states where Muslims are a majority) in a bid to realize the vision of building a Hindu nation has been held largely responsible for inciting the ethnic conflict. Once belonging to animistic religion and seeking independence from India, the Meitei community now identifies itself with Hindu nationalism by claiming itself to be constituting of original inhabitants of Manipur. On the other side, the Kukis have been condemned as illegal immigrants from Myanmar by them.

The Chief Minister of Manipur Nongthombam Biren Singh hailing from Meitei ethnic community tacitly received the backing of the Central government to formulate and implement strategies that targeted at ethnic cleansing by displacing the Kuki tribal people from their villages not only in the guise of protecting forest but by taking concerted steps to ensure biometric attendance of Kukis to find out illegal immigrants from Myanmar. His administration also indirectly targeted at the community by accusing the illegal immigrants of Myanmar being involved in illicit drug business. The people of Meitei community has also been involved in plundering the arms and weapons of police and army to prevail over as well as cleanse Kukis from their habitats.

Act East Policy and Need for a Self-Reliant Economy Hinge on Peace in Manipur

Prime Minister Modi’s silence was largely driven by this majoritarian ideological fuel that went into the ethnic conflict. However, the leader understands that this conflict has not only resulted in a humanitarian crisis resulting in deaths and displacements of many people, this has undermined his much touted Act East policy to a great extent. The protracted unrest in Myanmar has stalled projects such as highway linking India to Myanmar and Thailand. It has also prevented northeast’s coastal access by building a road to Burmese river town of Paletwa. As India faces 50 percent tariffs on most of its exports to the US, integration of India’s Northeast with Southeast Asia assumes further significance to gradually decouple from the American economy. India, in order to be economically more self-reliant needs more unity and domestic stability. Ethnic unrest in Manipur can be a potential challenge to undercut India’s ability to focus on building an integrated self-reliant domestic economy.

It is an irony that Prime Minister Modi who has been addressing different issues in his radio programme Mann Ki Baat has been maintaining cautious silence on the Manipur ethnic conflict which has witnessed macabre incidents from people of a community setting fire to the people of the other to forcible stripping off clothes of women and cases of inhuman torture, sexual violence and rapes onto destruction of Churches and Temples. Meanwhile, the displaced people are living in horrible humanitarian conditions with a trifle of aid being dispatched to the camps. The President’s rule has enhanced army and police control in the region without any meaningful assistance towards alleviating human sufferings. Following the high court ruling which sought to extend the privileges of the minority to the majority ethnic community and the systemic involvement of state machinery henceforth in tandem with the majority community in the project of ethnic cleansing since May 2023, constitutional safeguards for the minority ethnic communities to preserve their language, culture and heritage has come under increased scrutiny. Primer Minister Modi’s visit, in this light, must not be theatrical just to manage the optics but it must have a definitive roadmap for lasting peace between the communities by assuring the minorities of the protection of constitutional safeguards and clearly laying out his government’s plan of action for handling the humanitarian concerns. India’s richness lies in its ability to forge unity in diversity. Once the glue of secular and democratic ethos is torn apart, it will likely spill over to other regions and communities who would either subscribe to ethnic cleansing or demand more autonomy. The ideological baggage of majoritarianism  must be set aside for national cohesion and unity. Assuming normalcy under President’s rule would be just foolhardy and would not deliver peace in Manipur in real terms.