Manipur ground report: Why's BJP playing politics with our future, asks woman activist

Thokchom Sujata, the president of Imagi Meira, a women's activist group, could not hold back her tears, stating that she felt betrayed by the BJP, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“What have we done to deserve this? Why is the BJP government at the Centre playing politics with our future?” she asked with a choked voice.

It was clear from the demeanour of the other members of her organisation gathered at the group’s office at Tera Amudon in Imphal that they too shared her feelings.

The strong emotion exuded by members of an influential women-pressure group of Manipur is ominous not only for the BJP, but the nation as a whole. More so, as this feeling of betrayal is palpable among the large section of the people in the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley, which count for 40 of the state’s 60 assembly seats.

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Sujata said most women groups wholeheartedly backed the BJP in 2017 believing its promise of protecting the interests of Manipur in an election contested mainly on the issues of protecting the "territorial integrity” of the state. They had been ardent supporters of the BJP till recently, she claimed.

Hindutva project in north-east

The growth of the BJP, a Hindu-nationalist party, in Manipur, particularly in the valley, was deemed as a defining moment for Indian nationalism in a state where a sense of Meitei sub-nationalism had been very strong.

“Since the majority of the Meiteis are Hindus, the BJP considered them as a natural ally in its Hindutva project for the north-east, termed Ashtalakshmi by Modi,” pointed out a socio-political activist of the state, Ashang Kasar.

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The Sanskrit word, coined by the prime minister to refer to the eight north-eastern states, literally means octet of Hindu goddess of wealth Lakshmi.

“The plan is to align the region with the idea of Hindutva,” he added.

Subtle cultural imposition

The subtle cultural imposition is noticed with the growing use of Hindi in “administrative and political communications.”

Phanek, a traditional Meitei sarong worn by womenfolk, are increasingly being replaced by saree and salwar kameez, admitted Sujata.

“Exposure of the women to the outside world might also influence the trend,” she said, adding that her organisation is campaigning against it.

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The objective is to “Indianise” Meitei-Hinduism, which is a very indigenous entity just like Thai Buddhism, pointed out Rajkumar Meghen, former chairman of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), one of the oldest militant groups of the north-east.

BJP’s plan

The plan started unravelling after the break out of the ethnic-strife between Meiteis and Kukis in May 2023.

The BJP-led central government’s handling of the crisis and the prime minister’s refusal to visit the trouble-torn state even once during over 21 months of violence came as a shocker to those in the valley who fell for the RSS’s narrative that “Meiteis are more Hindu and hence should be protected”.

The failure to give “protection” to the Meitei community led to a perception in the valley that the Centre is siding with the Kuki-Zos. The perception deepened as the violence prolonged. This has heightened the feeling of alienation.

‘BJP deliberately destroyed Manipur’s fabric’

As Meghen put it, the policy of the government of India is encouraging people to go for armed struggle.

“The BJP deliberately destroyed the fabric of Manipur. The objective was to suppress, but the result proved counterproductive,” the octogenarian militant leader told The Federal.

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“The BJP’s mishandling of the situation in the state in turn is seen as India’s failure to do justice to the people of Manipur and this is leading to alienation. New Delhi should be very careful and should be seen as neutral in its dealing with the diverse communities,” said the activist Kasar.

Opportunity for central govt

He said the imposition of President’s Rule will give the central government an opportunity to salvage its image by resolving the conflict.

The BJP had to face the brunt of the people’s angst against the party-led central government in the 2024 parliamentary elections. The Congress won both the parliamentary seats of the state.

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The writing on the wall was clear. That the BJP will be humbled in the 2027 assembly elections if peace is not restored soon, in the words of Sujata.

“They (the BJP leadership) still have about two years’ time to do the turnaround. For that, they have to first clean up the mess they created,” Sujata pointed out.

It was this realisation that apparently sparked the rebellion within the BJP legislature party that ultimately prompted Biren Singh to resign as chief minister on Sunday (February 9).