Manipur on the Brink of Collapse

MOHAN KHOUND

In the heart of Imphal, Manipur’s capital, the air was thick with tear gas and the echoes of smoke bombs as security forces clashed with protesters marching toward the governor’s residence on May 20, 2025.

The confrontation left at least eight people injured, including several women, their cries of pain mingling with the chants of a crowd demanding justice.

This latest eruption of unrest was sparked by a seemingly minor act—the removal of the word “Manipur” from state transport buses during a local festival.

Yet, this small gesture ignited a firestorm of anger, revealing the deep wounds of a state grappling with ethnic strife, political neglect, and a profound sense of abandonment.

A Conflict Rooted in Division

Manipur’s descent into chaos began in May 2023, when tensions between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribes escalated over the Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe status, which would grant them affirmative action benefits.

What began as a political disagreement rapidly spiraled into an ethnic conflict of devastating proportions. Villages were torched, families torn apart, and entire communities displaced.

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Official estimates report over 230 deaths and more than 67,000 people displaced, many still languishing in makeshift relief camps with dwindling supplies and fading hopes of returning home. The violence, marked by arson, targeted killings, and sexual assault, has left scars that may take generations to heal.

The state government, under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, has faced relentless criticism for its handling of the crisis. Accusations of bias toward the Meitei community have eroded trust, while the deployment of thousands of paramilitary forces by the central government has done little to restore calm.

The absence of meaningful political dialogue has trapped Manipur in a cycle of intermittent violence, with each flare-up deepening the divide between communities and eroding faith in governance.

The Protests That Shook Imphal

The recent protests in Imphal, led by the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), were more than a reaction to the bus signage issue. They were a manifestation of a broader frustration—a belief that Manipur’s identity, culture, and dignity are under threat.

Protesters demanded an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and called for the resignation of senior officials, including the chief secretary and the director general of police, whom they accused of failing to safeguard the state’s interests.

When security forces responded with tear gas and smoke bombs to block the march, the resulting chaos mirrored the broader breakdown of trust between Manipur’s people and those tasked with their protection. Images of injured women and scattered crowds circulated widely, amplifying calls for accountability.

A Deafening Silence from Delhi

Perhaps the most glaring aspect of Manipur’s crisis is the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite the conflict’s severity—described by analysts as the worst ethnic violence in India’s northeast in decades—Modi has not visited the state since the unrest began. His only public statement came in August 2023, during a parliamentary debate, when he briefly acknowledged the crisis but offered no concrete plan for resolution.

This silence has fueled resentment in a region long accustomed to feeling marginalized by New Delhi’s political elite. In contrast, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, have made multiple visits to Manipur, meeting displaced families and calling for reconciliation. Modi’s reluctance to engage directly has left many questioning the central government’s commitment to resolving the crisis.

A Test of India’s Democratic Resolve

Manipur’s turmoil is no longer a regional issue confined to India’s northeast; it is a litmus test for the country’s ability to navigate complex ethnic divisions and uphold democratic principles in its peripheral regions. The state’s crisis exposes the limitations of a security-driven approach when what is needed is a sustained effort at political reconciliation. The heavy presence of paramilitary forces may quell immediate violence, but it cannot address the root causes—competing claims over land, resources, and political representation—that continue to fuel unrest.

Recent developments offer a glimmer of hope. Talks between COCOMI and the Union Home Ministry, scheduled for late May 2025, aim to address some of the protesters’ demands.

However, these discussions are unlikely to yield lasting peace without broader engagement with all affected communities, including the Kuki-Zo tribes, who feel equally marginalized. The central government must move beyond temporary measures and invest in a comprehensive peace process that acknowledges historical grievances and fosters dialogue between fractured communities.

The Road Ahead

Manipur stands at a crossroads. The protests in Imphal may subside, but the underlying tensions—over identity, governance, and belonging—will persist without decisive action. The ethnic divide between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo communities has hardened, with trust eroded by months of violence and mutual recrimination. Relief camps, housing tens of thousands, are stretched beyond capacity, with reports of inadequate food, water, and medical supplies adding to the humanitarian toll.

The central government faces critical questions. Will it prioritize Manipur’s crisis and allocate the political capital needed to broker peace, or will it continue to treat the state as a distant problem? Can the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities find a path toward coexistence, or will their divisions become irreconcilable? And when, if ever, will Prime Minister Modi visit Manipur to signal that the state’s pain is India’s pain?

Manipur’s year-long descent into violence and despair is a stark reminder of the fragility of peace in India’s diverse landscape. The tear gas clouds in Imphal are not just a local tragedy; they are a symptom of a deeper malaise—a state caught between unresolved ethnic strife and a government that has yet to fully commit to its resolution.

As the world’s largest democracy, India’s strength lies in its ability to bridge divides and uphold the dignity of all its citizens. For Manipur, that promise remains unfulfilled. The time for leadership is now, before the fractures in this wounded state grow too deep to mend.

Sources: Government statements, local media reports, eyewitness accounts.

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