It is in the news that many MLAs in the ruling crowd are contemplating to resign enmasse and that there even plans of staging sit-in-protest at Jantar Mantar if their revered leader refuses to meet them or listen to their pleas. Talking to newspersons some of the MLAs also say that the Chief Minister Office has sought an appointment with the Prime Minister through email and they are waiting for a word from PMO. As soon as they receive word from PMO, the Chief Minister along with other remaining ministers and MLAs would rush to New Delhi. This is not the first time that ruling MLAs had gone and camped at New Delhi trying to get an audience with the busy Prime Minister Narendra Modi and every time they returned back dejected but after being by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah with an assurance of maintaining Manipur’s territorial integrity.
Some of the trips to New Delhi were forced by the Meira Paibis and general public as they were continually gheraoed in their homes. Some of them even complained about sending the MLAs alone to New Delhi and that it should be him leading the MLAs in their endeavour. And it came out ultimately that, the recent letter from CMO seeking appointment with PM is a first since the breakout of clashes in May last year.
It was on Thursday June 27 evening that the Chief Minister convened a meeting of all the MLAs in the ruling camp and going by the photo posted in social media, many of the MLAs were crestfallen. The next day, as the rally organised by COCOMI in Imphal gathered strength some MLAs were seen leaving Imphal for New Delhi which sparked speculations of a revolt in a section of the regional media. On Saturday also, some more ruling MLAs left Imphal.
Till Sunday, there are no reports of PMO informing them of the appointment or that of the MLAs gathering at Jantar Mantar for a protest or in the matter of resigning enmasse. Narendra Modi had so far ignored the Manipur question for more than a year and even after taking oath as Prime Minister for the third time, not a single word on Manipur crisis was included in the President’s address to the parliament. Someone said, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat have interceded on Manipur’s behalf and this time BJP big bosses might listen and do something.
In his first Mann ki Baat after elections, Narendra Modi again ignored Manipur. On the other hand, Union Home Minister Amit Shah keeps postponing an active intervention. Lok Sabha elections are over and now he is talking about intervention after the Parliament session. Understandable if looks at it from their line of thought, as BJP did not get a get a majority on its own and had to rely on its partners in NDA. Who knows, we might get another date for intervention if one of the coalition partners begin to create problems. Problems of BJP high command aside, what are the Manipur MLAs really expecting at this juncture?
The voters of both Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur, whatever be their differences, have rejected BJP and its ally in the recent elections and it was mostly because of the indifference of BJP higher-ups with regard to the crisis. For the sake of it, they had put up a semblance of interest or concern in Manipur crisis by convening a high-level security meet in New Delhi, that too without the Chief Minister who is in charge of home portfolio.
In the ultimate analysis, Manipur MLAs have no other option but to resign at least to regain some of their lost prestige or trust with the general public. But who and what is stopping them from resigning? Is it their family members or their loyal supporters who bask in the power and glory of their powerful relative and leader? Is it because of the ‘fear’ that general people might suffer in the event of Presidents’ rule? Never mind, the general population are already suffering but they are quite capable of resisting any onslaught in the event of PR. Manipur is no stranger to President’s Rule.
Those who are most afraid of PR are the elected representatives and their cohorts, those who thrive on political patronage and largesse, and those who exert influence and circumvent the law through the political backing and support. To the common man, any government is no different. When the elected representatives or political leaders fail to deliver the promises of welfare, development and peace it is their turn to respond.
