Is it Manipur’s fault that the state did not find a mention in the recent Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman? The budget is a policy document of government interventions for the year ahead and it usually includes special concessions or allocations aimed at providing succour to different sections of the society and the states. It is not only Manipur, but most Opposition ruled states are complaining about ‘criminal neglect’ in the Union Budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had a point when she said, ‘In every budget, you don’t get an opportunity to name every state of this country… this is a deliberate attempt of the Opposition led by Congress to give the impression that nothing has been given to our states.’
But then, why should two states Bihar and Andhra Pradesh should be the principal beneficiaries of the budget. Just because JDU and TDP are the main props of the coalition government in the centre and BJP is at the mercy of the parties governing these two states, they found not only a mention but extra-large largesse from the Centre. Well, Bihar’s Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh’s Chandrababu Naidu miss out on the demand for ‘special category status’ which would entitle them to 90 per cent central share in every development venture. But they are not complaining as of now and they still hold the strings to the survival of the government led by Narendra Modi.
The Opposition led by Congress was out in the Parliament house today staging a protest against the partisan budget. We are not that concerned about the complaints of other states, as Manipur’s case is entirely different from the other states. First and foremost, Manipur is a state ruled by BJP along with a few minor partners and the much touted ‘double-engine’ government is supposed to be at play. Well, something must have gone wrong in the alignment of the two engines as they seem not working at tandem.
Secondly, Manipur is reeling in a crisis which had taken hold of the state for more than one year and three months leaving more than 200 people dead, several injured and impaired, nearly 20 young people missing, more than 60,000 people rendered homeless and languishing in relief camps and temporary shelter homes. Homes have been razed to the ground with entire communities displaced, inter-state highways perennially blocked and communities denied from crossing over the unofficial line of control, villages in the fringe areas of the valley under constant threat of attacks with inability to work in the fields for more than a year. And hopes of peace remains a far cry as there is no let-up in the hate campaigns and divisive propaganda. Thirdly, nature and extreme weather events came into play.
An unprecedented hailstorm, an intensity never seen before, wreaked havoc to several houses in the valley and vegetable crops in the fields leading to widespread loss of investment and labour to farmers. Then, floods came in two waves inundating vast areas of the valley particularly in Imphal and havoc in the hill areas. The Manipur floods were not as deadly and devastating like that of Assam, but it was of an unprecedented scale not known before or expected. River banks were breached and houses flooded up to the brim requiring major makeover after the floods receded. But Manipur’s flood damage did not find a mention in the Union budget. There were no special grants with regard to the widespread damage created by the ethnic crisis either. Certainly, Narendra Modi and BJP has a grudge with Manipur. Yet, we do not see the local leadership of BJP complaining.
Instead, they are hailing the budget that it is going to push India towards newer heights of growth, welfare and inclusiveness. They are afraid to even voice a concern in the interests of the state. Is it because they think that Centre is punishing Manipur for electing Congress candidates in the recent Lok Sabha elections and BJP leadership in New Delhi has done the right thing? If they think so, it is most unfortunate.
