The double engine that lost its moral strength
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It raises concerns when consequences and continuity emerge as a result of the killings that turned Manipur into a slaughterhouse. Many such incidents have come to light after reports of Meiteis stripping and abusing women in Manipur. In addition, , there are reports coming about the unrest spreading to neighboring states. Local organizations in Mizoram have demanded the departure of Meiteis from their state, causing fear and insecurity among the Meitei community. In response, the Mizoram authorities have tightened security measures for them. Despite the failure of governance under the governments that embraced racial hatred being exposed to public view, no remorse or apology is heard from anyone, which is another sign of a serious disease that is not confined to one state or community but has deeply affected the entire country. Surprisingly, even after the breakdown of law and order, no one in power has had to resign. It took two and a half months after a whole state started burning for the Prime Minister to say that this is not right. He also tried to turn the issue into a partisan game by implying that there were crimes even in Congress-ruled states. The focus is on tactics to keep Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh from resigning.
The governor there is a woman - Anusuiya Uikey. Now she shares her grief and helplessness in channel discussions. She claimed she had directed the DGP to take appropriate action. Women ministers in the Modi government have finally found time to condemn the brutality against women. Smriti Irani also claimed that she had also requested the Chief Minister to take necessary action and he agreed. The National Women's Commission is now 'voluntarily' (!) filing a case in incidents where it received a complaint two and a half months ago. It is when a tribal woman is the President that we hear the harrowing tales of innumerable tribal women. Is it that even the President is helpless?
The constitutional mechanisms and administrative apparatus, including the police force, not only remain passive but also display discriminatory behavior. The spread of racial hatred with the connivance of the state is more frightening than the collapse of the regime. The kind of propaganda that preceded the genocides in Rwanda and Gujarat is now widespread in many Indian states. False information circulated against Kukis in Manipur added fuel to the fire sparked by the High Court's judgement on the reservation issue. In a case of fake news attributed to Manipur police, and tweeted by news agency ANI, it took 12 hours for them to realise the mistake and retract the error: that one of the accused was one Abdul Hilmi who was arrested after the release of the horrifying video there. Today's ruling party has no small role in making this a national culture. Neither the Prime Minister who had once said that 'aggressors can be identified in their clothes' nor the Home Minister who called a community 'termites' have shown regret and set an example. A large section of the media has also been communalized.
If our nation has lost its conscience, the political leadership is the first to be held responsible. If Gandhiji led the country with moral power, it is his home state of Gujarat that was the first to forsake that conscience. At present, various states are witnessing a decline in societal values. The nation is becoming dehumanized, with suspicion and fear prevailing among its people. Leaders are interested in maintaining power by shedding blood, not talking about unity. The politics of hatred under the current regime is sowing fear and unrest in different regions. Manipuris elected BJP after listening to the Prime Minister saying that a 'double engine' government is needed for good governance, but both engines seem to have failed in Manipur. The relentless pursuit of power, devoid of human values or respect for democracy, is gradually destroying the country. The negative consequences are not limited to Manipur; the unrest is now spreading to Mizoram and other parts of the country. The crime depicted in the grotesque video from Manipur is not an isolated incident. This is a country that denied justice to Bilquis Banu. It is the same country that witnesses the accused in sexual harassment of wrestlers shedding crocodile tears for the victims of Manipur. To survive and flourish, our society must reclaim its lost moral strength. Without it, the country cannot survive.
