Speaking on the day the Union home minister convened an all-party meeting to discuss the crisis in Manipur, the general secretary of the All Manipur Tribal Union, which represents all the hill tribes of the state, the majority of which are Kuki and Naga, has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of treating Kukis like “stepchildren”. Lalboi Neihsial said, “Prime Minister Modi is like a father but he’s treating the Kukis like stepchildren”. He added, “We feel let down by the PM.”
In a 36-minute interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire, Neihsial, who is also the vice president of the World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council, spoke at length about the steps that are needed, both immediate and long term, to resolve the crisis in Manipur.
Neihsial said the first immediate step is to dismiss chief minister Biren Singh and institute President’s Rule. He suggested the only reason the Union government has refused to dismiss Singh – even though as many as 15 BJP MLAs, almost 50% of the legislature party, have expressed a loss of faith in the CM – is because Modi and Shah are grateful to Biren Singh for having brought the BJP to power and believe he secures Meitei votes for the BJP.
More importantly, Neihsial made absolutely clear and repeatedly insisted that the next step, after imposing President’s Rule, is to concede a separate administration for the Kukis.
He made clear that this is the first preferred option of the Kuki community and not their last resort. He made it crystal clear that there are no steps which can be taken that could build trust and reconciliation between the Kuki and the Meitei. He specifically ruled out any process of truth and reconciliation which was endorsed by the playwright Ratan Thiyam. Neihsial said there was no point in even attempting this. He said it would not succeed.
Speaking about what sort of special administration the Kukis want, Neihsial said autonomous territorial councils, with Schedule 6 of the Constitution applying (which at the moment does not apply in Manipur), was not sufficient. In other words, a Bodoland-type solution is not acceptable. This may have been considered and found acceptable before the present troubles began on May 3 but that is not the case anymore.
He said that the Kukis either want a separate state or a union territory with its own legislature.
It was pointed out to Neihsial that if the Union government were to concede the Kuki demand for a UT or separate state it would have to concede the older Naga demand for a merger with Nagaland, and if that happened Manipur would be reduced to just the Valley i.e. 10% of the present state, and this would be unacceptable to the Meitei. This argument did not deter or even particularly worry Neihsial. He responded to it as if it was an inevitable reality that has to be accepted.
Neihsial’s fundamental point is that the Kuki and Meitei cannot live together any more in one state. He said “we cannot be happy together but it’s possible for us to be happy separately as neighbours”.
