After months of dithering and inaction, the Union government finally dismissed the N. Biren Singh-led government in Manipur and imposed President’s Rule. While this move was long overdue, President’s Rule, though necessary to restore some semblance of order, is by no means a panacea. The challenge of bridging the deep-seated distrust between the Meitei and Kuki communities remains as formidable as ever.
Since the imposition of President’s Rule, efforts have been made to rein in the proliferation of illegal weapons and dismantle road blockades that have effectively balkanized Manipur. However, these efforts have met with only partial success. Only a third of the 3,000-odd weapons stolen from police armories have been returned, while attempts to enforce free movement in conflict zones have led to fresh violence. The tragic killing of a civilian on the very day that Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s free movement initiative was launched underscores the volatility of the situation and the glaring lack of preparedness in executing such policies.
The ethnic strife in Manipur has morphed into a disturbing form of de facto segregation, where neither Meiteis nor Kukis can safely traverse each other’s territories. The creation of buffer zones, patrolled by central forces, is a stark reminder that Manipur is teetering on the brink of an internal partition. In this precarious context, the demand by a Kuki-Zo civil society organisation for Union Territory status is not only impractical but incendiary. Such a move would only escalate tensions, drawing the Naga communities into the conflict and potentially destabilizing the entire Northeast. The Centre must firmly reject these divisive demands while simultaneously engaging in dialogue with all stakeholders to restore trust and cohesion.
The government’s priority must be to recover the remaining stolen weapons and neutralize all non-State actors wielding arms. A clear message must be sent: only the State has the legitimate authority over the use of force. However, peace cannot be restored through coercion alone. The Union government, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, must directly engage with both communities, offering assurances and concrete economic incentives for reconciliation. Manipur’s suffering is not limited to ethnic violence—it is also reeling from economic distress. The prolonged conflict has exacerbated inflation and economic stagnation, further alienating the population from the State’s institutions.
Restoring highway connectivity is critical, but it must be done in consultation with all stakeholders to avoid further violence. The government’s efforts to recover weapons and enforce order must be complemented by large-scale confidence-building measures, bringing both Meiteis and Kukis to the negotiating table. A genuine peace process cannot be imposed from above; it must be nurtured through dialogue, trust, and economic revival. Anything less will only ensure that Manipur remains a fractured and volatile State for the foreseeable future.
