The Culture of Bandhs Needs to End; Walk the Talk to Resolve Manipur Crisis

Ahimsa is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to actions towards all living beings. It is a key virtue in religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism that are originated from Indian. Mahatma Gandhi took the religious principle of ahimsa and turned it into a non-violent tool for mass action against the colonial British. 

Various forms of non-violent civil disobedience are common in developing India and they include – dharna (peaceful demonstration) and bandh/hartal (general strike), gherao (to surround someone in authority or the place where they work). However, bandhs, the most popular form of protest, have turned violent in many instances and the Supreme Court and different High Courts of the State have made it clear that it interferes with people’s fundamental liberty and freedom. It disrupts individuals’ daily life and causes loss to private property and injury to the health of general individuals. A bandh call holds out a threat, either explicitly or impliedly, that any endeavour to conflict with the call for bandh may bring about physical injury.

To the people living in the state, the name of Manipur is synonymous to bandhs. Bandhs are called for various reasons at the drop of the hat. It is never non-violent and is enforced by physical road blocks and forced shutting down of shops and establishments. Sometimes individuals who venture out during bandh are assaulted, personal property snatched and vehicles damaged. Threat of injury permeates the atmosphere that people stay home unless an emergency compels them to go out. Calling bandh is symbolic of non-violent protest, yet in Manipur it can never be taken lightly as it is prone to violent reaction.

Manipur, as far as the effectiveness of bandhs goes, has two different territories, i.e. Imphal valley and the hill areas. Bandh called by valley organisations is effective only in the valley districts, while those called by hill organisations are effective only in the hill areas/districts. Manipur has been fractured for a very long time on communal lines and there are hardly any non-governmental social organisations that represent pan Manipur. The nomenclature of organisations used by most CSOs and organisations has “Manipur” as a suffix or prefix and not “All Manipur” reflecting the limitation of their jurisdiction. For decades now, it is hard to recall bandh called for a common cause which has been implemented by both valley and hill people, other than Independence Day and Republic Day boycott. In some districts of Manipur, calling for bandh amounts to self-inflicting injury since the effectiveness of bandh is limited to their own territory. For instance, bandh called by CSOs of Ukhrul (including Kamjong) is effective only in Ukhrul district and affects the fundamental liberty, freedom and public loss of people of Ukhrul district only. Same scenario applies to the five valley districts (Imphal East, West, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching), Chandel (including Tengnoupal) and Churachandpur (including Pherzawl) districts with little or no impact on others. It is mainly the bandhs called by CSOs of Senapati, Kangpokpi, Tamenglong (including Noney) and Jiribam districts that impact Imphal valley as movement of goods on the National Highway from Dimapur and Silchar to the commercial hub in Imphal valley is disrupted. The bandhs called by CSOs of Imphal valley, Ukhrul, Chandel and Churachandpur is inconsequential as it hurts no one else but themselves and therefore makes no sense except for the fact that it only serves to register their protest. The negative impact of bandhs drive up prices of essential commodities and once prices go up it never comes down. Bandhs affect daily wagers and poor people the most. It disrupts studies of school children and students in other educational institutions. CSOs, especially of these districts, should consider other forms of protest for registering their grievances instead of bandh which brings misery to themselves.

Bandhs called by CSOs are a reflection of state government’s inability to deal with public grievances. The state government should hang its head in shame every time a bandh is called as it is a reflection of its poor administrative ability. At the same time it is a symptom of increasing impatience of the general public to the inefficiency of the state government in managing its affairs. Most of the bandhs witnessed after 3rd May 2023 conflict are reactions by the general public to various incidents of the ongoing ethnic conflict reflecting the anxiety of the public to existential insecurity.

The reaction of the central government to the ethnic killings by deployment of more security forces goes against the general thinking that the Manipur Crisis is a political problem begging for a political settlement. Deployment of more security forces at the periphery of the Imphal valley or for law and order duties may serve to strengthen confidence building measures, but this may not stop sniper shots from higher and commanding ridges. The general public will recall the brief lull from violence when there was a rumour of a political settlement in the offing and the chief minister had expressed confidence that normalcy is returning. This brief incident-less period should serve as a reminder to the central and state leadership that political settlement is the way forward for peaceful resolution of Manipur crisis. The resumption of conflict in several fronts following the recent killings in Jiribam area shows how fragile the law and order situation is in Manipur and how easily it can turn into a nightmare. This should serve as a reminder to the authorities and the public that there is no other way forward for peace but a political settlement.

Manipur has suffered much for 18 months. Dialogue needs to be commenced in earnest. After all, there was a reassuring assertion by the Home Ministry as part of its 100 days achievement of Modi 3.0 government by announcing that a road map has been charted for peaceful resolution of the Manipur Crisis. The time has come to Walk The Talk.

Ngaranmi Shimray

shimray2011@gmail.com