The Prime Minister's visit to Manipur has triggered wide discussions. His belated visit to the state comes amid criticism that his government was a miserable failure in containing the civil unrest that erupted in 2023. Modi inaugurated projects worth Rs 7,300 crore there. He called for strengthening dialogue between the warring factions in the state. The ongoing enmity between the Meitei sect in the Imphal Valley and the Kuki sect in the hills has already claimed about 300 lives. The violence has displaced tens of thousands from their homes. The issue should have been resolved through dialogue long ago. However, neither the state government nor the union government was willing to take the initiative. One cannot call it bad that though after two years the Prime Minister has started talking about dialogue and peace. He spoke to people from both sides. But on the question whether the Prime Minister's visit can heal deep wounds, the country is hearing answers according to political leanings. While some argue that things will get better with the development work, the other side points out that the mistakes made by the government, by dividing the people and not ensuring the rule of law, should not be solved superficially. Finding and correcting mistakes is the core of solving any problem.
The first thing that needs to be done in Manipur is to identify the shortcomings, admit them and take corrective measures. The parties responsible for the breakdown of social security and the rule of law in Manipur are the state and the Union governments--both are led by the BJP. The state government did not try to cool down and resolve the majority-minority rivalry that erupted in the state with a court ruling. It took a year and a half to even remove Biren Singh, who had leaned towards the Meitei majority and failed to protect the Kukis, and impose President's rule. The victims of Manipur, who were expecting the Prime Minister to come up with a way to provide security guaranteed by the Constitution, beyond political and ethnic considerations, waited for 864 days. As the opposition pointed out, Narendra Modi found time to travel abroad 42 times during this period. The situation in Manipur did not improve even during the President's rule. Since the riots began in May 2023, neither the Kukis in the hills have access to the valley nor the Meiteis in the valley to the hills. The erosion of trust in the government (as well as the delay in remedial efforts) has also exacerbated the problem.
The government is still not ready to listen to dissenting voices and admit its shortcomings. Those concerned still do not seem to be convinced yet that only inclusive politics can end ethnic unrest. If the government becomes the beneficiary of ethnicity, then what happens will be a complete collapse in the social and security spheres. The first step is to recognise the shortcomings, and the next is to consider the criticism at face value. The riot victims and the opposition from various sections have a positive opinion about the solution to the problem. What cannot be achieved by scripted visits, development promises, and peace calls can be achieved through sincere efforts involving the opposition. Although the Union Home Ministry's signing of a peace agreement with the Kuki armed groups paved the way for the Prime Minister's visit, much deeper, inclusive work is needed to eliminate communal rivalry. Development projects are not solutions in themselves. They are only tools for solutions. The real solution must lie in the hearts. The government can influence hearts only by regaining the trust of the people.