Manipur Lok Sabha MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam on Tuesday reacted strongly against former DG of Assam Rifles, retired Lt Gen PC Nair’s comments in a TV interview concerning the violence in the state, stating that his points appeared to be a PR exercise “to cover up the failure to rein in the violence and reports of impropriety associated with Assam Rifles.”
The interview drew flak on social media with several individuals questioning the senior officer’s knowledge about the weapons used by Kuki militants, while alleging him of sidelining various crucial matters concerning the state.
Taking to X, Bimol Akoijam came down heavily on the senior officer with an extensive post which read, “The recent interview of Lt. Gen. P.C. Nair (Retd), former DG of #AssamRifles, to a news channel alludes to the malaise that this oldest paramilitary force in the country suffers from and the utter lack of coordination of the security agencies, including the Union Armed forces, and their concomitant failure to rein in the 15 months old unprecedented violence in Manipur.
To cite one example, his versions on the recent escalation of violence in the state (starting on 1st September, 2024) is different from that of the State Police official statements clearly points to that sheer lack of coordination among the security forces and their consequent failure to rein in the 15 months long violence in Manipur. Contradicting the widely circulated reports, eyewitness accounts and official statements from the Home Department and State police, he seems to dismiss the claim that there were aerial assaults using rockets/missiles as well as weaponized drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Incidentally, one “Kuki” leader has admitted, rather boastfully, in the media, that they have used such weapons to attack civilians and security forces.”
His post further stated, “This interview of the former DG of Assam Rifles also reminds us that his version is of a man who once headed the paramilitary force sans its operational command - to the best of my knowledge, the operational command of the Assam Rifles does not rest with the DG of the Assam Rifles, a post Lt. Gen Nair (Retd.) was in charge till recently but it’s with the regular army under the GOC 3 Corps.
This interview, unfortunately, comes to me as a PR exercise to cover up the failure to rein in the violence and reports of impropriety associated with Assam Rifles. Our generals and civilian officers must know that lack of trust deficit is an issue that we must tackle so that state institutions, including forces like Assam Rifles, are not harmed. Being defensive or seeking to deflect or cover up shortcomings helps no one.
It is also instructive that he says that the security forces can rein in the violence, quite obviously which has not been the case so far, but the ultimate solution is with the “people”! This is quite revealing as most of the security officers usually say that the ultimate solution lies with the political leadership or political executive! This reluctance to name the political executive is, to say the least, quite instructive to understand the what, how, why and wherefore of this prolonged violent crisis in the state of Manipur.”
Apex organisations such as the COCOMI and AMWJU also condemned the former DG for his statements during the interview.
