Where is the writ of the Government ?
One may start stating Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh could not perhaps emerge as the 'messiah' of the Meiteis even as he has been a populist leader.
Biren Singh fiddled with power. But last few months - social workers and others in the state capital and in Kuki-stronghold Churachandpur feel his focus is not the governance nor the state. He is more into contemplating or analysing things happening around him - whether he would be disturbed or replaced or he would survive and will be allowed to continue in office by New Delhi.
According a retired Kuki police officer in Churachandpur, the Chief Minister himself could be 'responsible' for most of what has gone wrong for him.
In Imphal the dominant Meiteis seemed to 'have reconciled' that Biren Singh is here to stay. And hence they also feel -- two major issues are matters of deep concern.
One is - kick-starting the fashion of setting up of 'Kangaroo courts' and dispensing justice in own style and not following the standard jurisprudence.
Recently an allegedly rape victim did not go to Biren Singh's police force.
In a statement, the Koireng-faction of United National Liberation Front (UNLF) said the punishment was handed out to Khaidem Nongdam Khanganba, 30, of Imphal West district following its investigation. (as reported in 'Hindustan Times')
The 'banned militant group' on Jan 14 (Monday) said that it shot a 30-year-old man in his leg to punish him for rape of a 28-year-old woman in an Imphal hotel on January 10.
The rape survivor was staying alone in Hotel Imphal after returning to the state from Delhi.
The statement said Khanganba, who was in the hotel to celebrate a birthday, impersonated a hotel staffer to enter her room and then refused to leave. He ordered alcohol and pressured her to drink. When she refused, Khanganba is alleged to have assaulted her before raping her.
The UNLF faction led by R K Achou Singh alias Koireng has opposed talks with the government. The other faction of UNLF led by Khundongbam Pambei entered into a tripartite peace deal along with the central and state governments in November 2023.
This maybe one of a kind 'happening'; but in the past too the muscle-flexing by the organisations have been reported.
In a move rife with symbolism, all the Meitei legislators from Manipur – 37 MLAs and two Members of Parliament, across party lines – were “summoned” by the Arambai Tenggol in 2024.
This organisation is a post-May 2023 phenomenon and has been described as a radical body or as a radicalised armed militia. It is also seen as a revivalist organisation that aims to reestablish the pre-Hindu, native Sanamahi religion among the Meiteis and allegedly enjoys the patronage of powerful Netas.
Relief camps for Meiteis near Imphal and for Kukis at Churachandpur
On Jan 25th, 2024, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had tweeted stating - "The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the brutal physical assault on Manipur PCC President K. Meghachandra, in a meeting of all-party MLAs/ MPs/ Ministers, under full security protection of state and central forces, at Kangla in Imphal".
A kangaroo court is an informal court that is unfair and unofficial, and is intended to find someone guilty. It is a term used to describe courts that ignore legal standards and justice, and are often convened without official standing.
In Manipur as also in other states, these courts thrive only when people lose faith in the police or the criminal justice system.
The writ of the government is zero !!
Thus, if this becomes a trend, the problems in Manipur will be far from over.
Sources say yet another new phenomenon has started perhaps in a bigger scale.
That is the successful manner the UNLF (P) - the faction that is in talks with the government - is deciding the fate of many economic projects.
This faction is allegedly forcing common business people not to submit tenders and automatically the choice then comes to people of their choice and there is a substantial cut involved.
In a statement, ED said that a chargesheet was filed against Thokchom Gyaneshor and Laimayum Anand Sharma. It added that on December 18, 2024, a PMLA court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed.
The duo was arrested by the ED on the 16th of October 2024 and are currently in judicial custody. The UNLF was created in 1964 with the goal of gaining Manipur’s ‘independence’.
According to the ED, Gyaneshor is the outfit’s self-proclaimed “Chief of Army Staff” and “Secretary, External and Regional Affairs Department”. Sharma is the UNLF’s self-proclaimed “Intelligence Officer”.
The money laundering case originates from a July 2023 FIR and two chargesheets filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this year.
The case pertains to a “trans-national conspiracy” hatched by Myanmar-based leadership of terror outfits active in the northeastern states to exploit ethnic unrest in Manipur, “wage war” against the Indian government, and carry out terrorist attacks, thereby exacerbating the security situation in Manipur.
“ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR No Rc-23/2023/NIA/DLI Dated 19.07.2023 and Chargesheet No. 05/2024 dated 07.03.2024 and Supplementary Chargesheet No. SCS-05(A)/2024 dated 30.07.2024 filed by National Investigating Agency (NIA) related to transnational conspiracy hatched by Myanmar-based leadership of terror outfits operationally active in the North Eastern States to exploit the ethnic unrest in the state of Manipur to wage war against Government of India and execute terrorist attacks thereby exacerbating the security situation in Manipur.
 |
| Recovery of arms |
NIA has invoked Sections 120 B, 121 A and 411 of IPC, 1860; Sections 17, 18, 18A, 18B, 20, 38, and 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and Section 25 of the Arms Act, 1959 which are scheduled offences under PMLA 2002,” the Enforcement Directorate said. Imphal, January 16 2025: Arambai Tenggol (AT) Unit 2 has clarified that the abduction and subsequent death of one Md Shahnawas is unrelated with the unit.
A statement issued in this regard informed that some individuals misused the name of AT Unit 2 to pull up alleged drug users with those involved in the incident handed over to the police by the members of the AT Unit 2 for legal action.
Arambai Tenggol also claimed that the group, whenever, detained thosw involved in drug trafficking handed them over to the police.
The clarification was issued in the wake of six suspected-members of Arambai Tenggol taken into custody of the police in connection with the death of Md Shahnawas, A statement issued late Wednesday informed that six suspected members of Arambai Tenggol were arrested in connection with the abduction of Md Shahnawas (33) from his house on January 14 for ransom but brought dead to Thoubal District Hospital on January 15 .
The problems in Manipur have added to problems in other northeastern states too.
There are already a large number of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh taking shelter in Mizoram. The Manipur unrest has added about 30,000 internally displaced people and to make things more complex there are apprehensions that now 'armed militants' from Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh have also entered the state.
The Lawngtlai-based Lawngtlai Young Association (YLA) has claimed that the Bangladeshi militants are involved in armed smuggling and could also start 'armed training' in Mizoram territory.
No comments:
Post a Comment