It is inevitable for mob fury to take over from the saner elements in any public movement. This has been the case in many movements in the state.
The mob fury against the leaders of Committee of Tribal Unity (COTU) for withdrawing the blockade on NH 2 in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s appeal is one such. Soon after the announcement of the blockade withdrawal, irate volunteers of the blockade stormed the residence of COTU Chairman at Saparmeina in Kangpokpi district on Monday and burnt his house while a volunteer was injured in firing.
Well, passions are running high and it is mob psychology at work. It is a clear case of the ghost that they had unleashed going out of control. Now, what we had feared all along is at coming and the mob will begin to turn against their own leaders.
Not only in Kangpokpi, it has all the symptoms of spreading like wildfire. It had happened in the past during the anti-AFSPA movement and the June 18 uprising wherein not only the political leaders but movement leaders also found themselves in trouble.
Remember the June 18 incident when the state assembly building was razed to the ground and MLAs hounded by the general public while an MLA narrowly escaped death but with third degree burns. Once again, that kind of fury is building up.
The houses of some MLAs, including a minister, were vandalised in the present conflict while attempts are being made on others also. This has made some MLAs make public pledges of their commitment to the territorial integrity of the state and the wishes of the general public.
On the other hand, some MLAs are even camping at the site of militant attacks visiting the relief camps while some other MLAs and BJP leaders have come out against the central forces. However, question have come up as to whether the MLAs are really sincere about their commitment or is it the survival instinct at work. Anyway, they are trying very hard.
Coming back to the Kangpokpi blockade, a virulent campaign against the policies of the government and the valley people has been working overtime in the social media for quite some time. Add to that, the various incidents of violence and attacks in several areas where Kuki militants are pitted against Meitei villagers while Kuki settlements were targeted in Imphal. These incidents have inflamed passions and communal fervour is running high everywhere.
Then, the demand for a separate administration by Kuki MLAs and CSOs came further quantifying the level of passion and hatred. Initially, the blockade of NH 2 in Kangpokpi area was enforced to put pressure on the administration and it is not a new phenomenon. As usual, no one tries to understand how the supply lines work inside the state while they only look at how one could take advantage of the national highways.
Imphal-Dimapur road (NH 2) and Imphal-Jiribam road (NH 37) have always been a rallying point for politics by certain communities doting both sides of the national highways and a pressure point for raising of all kinds of demands and grievances.
Manipur being a land-locked state highly depends on the highways for ferrying in food and all other goods including essential items from outside the state, which is exactly why highway blockades have become a bargaining chip for groups who have an axe to grind with the state authorities or holding it to ransom for realisation of their demands howsoever petty it be sometimes.
This time, Amit Shah’s appeal had found ears among the saner elements in Kangpokpi area and they decided to open the highway blockade for seven days from 10 am to 2 pm.
The Union Home Minister would certainly have been impressed with the general public welcoming him in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi waving the Indian tricolour and he made the appeal for opening the blockade after reaching Delhi in his Twitter account. However, it went otherwise as the situation has already gone out of control.
Read More: IFP Editorial
