He raised doubts about whether Biren truly holds control over the state’s affairs or merely acts as a proxy. “Even the national media has not opened their eyes to ask this question. If we remove him from all responsibility for the state’s failures, the blame will fall on Delhi, implicating Modi and Amit Shah,” he said, adding Biren might serve as a convenient scapegoat and is willing to accept this role.
TFM Desk
As lingering ethnic strife between Meitei and Kuki completed one year today (May 3), JNU professor Bimol Akoijam called for the exposure of misleading reports circulated by the national media, especially those linking the situation to indigenous tribal rights and exploitation. He emphasized the necessity for a fact-finding committee established by the government of India to uncover the truth.
In an interview with The Week, Bimol, Congress candidate for Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency in ongoing 18th Lok Sabha election, also stressed the need of accountability for every instance of violence that has transpired in the region.
When asked what promises he made to the people of Manipur, Bimol said in this unprecedented election, he had no promises, but rather an agenda for a united Manipur. “My focus is on facilitating the return of displaced individuals to their original homes and promoting coexistence,” he said
Regarding the media’s focus on the incompetence of the Biren Singh government in addressing the Manipur issue and the failure of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the state, Bimol said that was the complexity of the government. He raised doubts about whether Biren truly holds control over the state’s affairs or merely acts as a proxy. “Even the national media has not opened their eyes to ask this question. If we remove him from all responsibility for the state’s failures, the blame will fall on Delhi, implicating Modi and Amit Shah,” he said, adding Biren might serve as a convenient scapegoat and is willing to accept this role.
“Biren Singh’s failure to act promptly and effectively led to escalating violence, starting in Churachandpur and spreading to Imphal. Despite intelligence reports, no preventive measures were taken. However, this failure does not align with the narrative portraying him as deliberately acting as part of the Meitei community,” he said.
Expressing his suspicion of government’s involvement in the ethnic strife, Bimol referenced an incident in Khumujamba Leikai, Churachandpur, once a Meitei village. “When the violence happened, people were evacuated from there by armed forces. Now, right under the nose of the district administration, armed forces and Manipur Police, those houses of Meiteis were reduced to rubble. That area now shows no traces of human habitation; it has been flattened like a playground,” he recounted. He emphasized that this destruction occurred “under the administration’s watch, confirming that the state is involved in one way or another”. “Moreover,” he noted, “both the state and the nation are governed by the same party.”
When asked why the Meiteis opposed to the Kukis when modern society globally acknowledges indigenous rights, including rights to ancestral land, Bimol dismissed it as a “bogus narrative”. He clarified, “the Manipur issue is not an indigenous rights issue, unlike in other parts of the country or worldwide. The Kuki communities appear to be conveniently using this narrative.” Bimol highlighted the substantial representation of Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in Manipur’s bureaucracy and cabinet, unlike elsewhere in the country
He said Christian missionaries and so-called liberal individuals discuss tribal rights without grasping the reality on the ground, leading to confusion and misinterpretation. “The nation is divided between Hindu saviours and tribal saviours, jumping on each other without a clear understanding of the actual situation, which is causing significant challenges,” he said.
Regarding whether Meiteis should be on the ST list, Bimol affirmed, “They are indigenous people, and according to the due process outlined in the law and the Constitution, it is appropriate for them to be included.”
On the presence of young people carrying arms in the Imphal valley suggesting a failure of the state machinery, Bimol said, “As the state has failed to perform its duty, people have taken it upon themselves to defend themselves. There are many groups in Manipur, and the national media is only focusing on one group (the Meitei Arambai Tenggol).”
When asked about law and order having completely collapsed in Manipur, Bimol expressed his view that Manipur has become a theatre of violence. Emphasizing the “very aggravated” situation in the state, he blamed the government, questioning the propose of the state’s existence. Bimol stressed that it is the government’s duty to maintain law and order and guide people towards a civil life. “We have unprecedented violence lingering for more than 11 months now, which has never happened in the history of India. Communal violence in India typically ends within a couple of hours, days, or at most two weeks,” he added.
When asked about the corporate interests in Manipur, Bimol said corporates are interested in the northeast. He explained, “This is a poor state, and Meiteis are not running any big corporate houses. Corporates are trying to exploit the resources of the state. However, the major activists who are fighting against corporates are Meiteis, not these people (Kukis).”
He criticized the narrative that Meiteis are hand in glove with these corporate houses to extract tribal land and resources. “When I become MP, I will put a stop to this, and I am not going to leave Meiteis behind either. I will not take sides in communal issues,” he said.