The Assam Rifles has identified the “political authoritarianism and ambition of Chief Minister N Biren Singh” as key factors behind the ongoing violence in Manipur, as reported by Al Jazeera. The BJP-led government’s stance on various issues has allegedly deepened divisions between communities in the northeastern Indian state.
A confidential assessment presented by Assam Rifles officials highlighted the state government’s role in exacerbating the conflict, it was reported. The presentation, reviewed by The Reporters’ Collective (TRC) in late 2023, pointed to policies that appeared to target the Kukis, with state forces allegedly offering tacit support to the clashes and causing a dismemberment of law-and-order machinery.
The presentation listed several causes for the conflict, including the impact of “illegal immigrants” from neighboring Myanmar, demands for a national register of citizens, and the call for Kukiland. It also asserted that armed groups from the Meitei community are equipping people with weapons, while the Kuki community’s armed groups are supporting “volunteers.”
According to Al Jazeera, TRC could not independently verify the presentation’s claims, and the Assam Rifles declined to engage in discussions regarding speculative or unverified matters. Meanwhile, queries to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Manipur chief minister’s office remain unanswered, it said.
As per the Al Jazeera report, the immediate trigger for the violence was a demand by the dominant Meitei community for Scheduled Tribe status. It was opposed by other tribal groups, including those from the Kuki-Zo community.
But in the presentation, Assam Rifles officials pointed to policies of the chief minister that they believed fed the animosity between the communities. It noted Singh’s “hard stance” on the “war on drugs” and “vocal social media dissent”, among other things, for inflaming the conflict.
The presentation also highlighted the role of “Meitei Revivalism,” referring to the Meitei community’s aspiration to revert to its pre-Hinduism identity. Organizations like Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol were identified as factors fueling the conflict. The Assam Rifles presentation outlined the conflict in three phases: “initiate,” “mutate,” and “stalemate.” The “initiate” phase began in April last year after the Manipur High Court’s decision to consider petitions for including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. This led to rallies and subsequent violence, characterized by high-intensity riots and selective targeting.
The “mutate” phase saw a shift in the conflict’s character at the end of May when Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Manipur to broker a truce. Despite efforts to impose a federal policing command and a buffer zone, violence persisted, shifting to rural areas and escalating tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities.