Poll Panel Nips Home Ministry’s Bid to Stop Elections in Manipur

The MHA’s plea claimed that “it may not be possible to have free & fair elections in Manipur at this point”.

Supporters of the Naga United Council (UNC) clash with security personnel during an agitation against the Manipur government in Senapati, Manipur. (Photo: PTI)

Even as the Election Commission (EC) was giving final touches to the Assembly polls schedule, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was making desperate attempts to stop elections from taking place in trouble-torn Manipur, one of the five states going to polls next month.

According to MHA documents accessed by The Quint, the Joint Secretary (Northeast) Satyendra Garg’s 1 January letter to the Election Commission shows that the ministry projected that “it may not be possible to have free and fair elections in Manipur at this point in time of tense and potentially explosive situation”.

Also Read: Watch: Manipur Is Not Kashmir, Why Should Anyone Care?

Minstry of Home Affairs’ Plea

The MHA’s letter was prompted by the continuing “economic blockade” imposed on Manipur – primarily targeted at preventing the movement of vehicles carrying essential supplies via National Highway 2 and National Highway 37 – since early November 2016. The “economic blockade” was in response to the Manipur government’s creation of seven new districts.

The economic blockade was imposed by the United Naga Council (UNC), backed by the insurgent outfit National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah). The NSCN-IM is in a ceasefire agreement with the Centre and signed a “peace deal” with the Narendra Modi government after the latter assumed power in May 2014. There has, however, been no final agreement, even as negotiations continue to drag on.

Also Read: Plot Thickens as Rajnath Issues Veiled Threat to Manipur CM Ibobi

Centre’s Rationale

The MHA is, with great difficulty and by thinning forces from sensitive areas such as Kashmir and LWE (Leftwing Extremism) areas, providing 870 Coys (companies) for the forthcoming elections in five states. It would be impossible to provide any further force, without seriously and adversely affecting security in sensitive areas such as Kashmir, LWE areas, other States in the North East, and for/or along the international borders.

Joint Secretary (Northeast) Satyendra Garg’s letter

Also Read: 50 Days of Economic Blockade: The Manipur Crisis Explained

Bid to Stop Election

The Election Commission set aside the MHA’s letter which, poll panel sources said, was an attempt to “stop the elections in Manipur”. The EC’s decision was based on the response of the state government of Congress Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, which said in its 2 January response to the MHA’s letter:

The economic blockade is associated with a few sporadic incidents, which the State Government has effectively handled… Subsequently, the counter-blockade (by Meiti groups from the Imphal valley) has been called off. There is no failure of public order as projected in the (MHA) report and the situation at present is absolutely normal in the State.

Also Read: Is Manipur’s CM Ibobi Using Economic Blockade For Political Gains?

Manipur Govt’s Response

The Manipur government’s letter goes on to claim that there “is no exodus of Naga people from (the Imphal) valley as reported in the (MHA) Report. In fact, the Naga people living in the valley go to their native places in hills during Christmas and return after new year, which is an annual feature. All the road leading to (the) hills are open and there is free movement of vehicles and people.”

The Quint had earlier reported that a full-blown war of words had ensued between the Home Ministry and the Ibobi Singh government on the issue of restoration of normalcy in the state since the economic blockade was imposed in early November.

Intelligence Bureau sources said that the UNC, “acting in cahoots with the NSCN(IM), which is being backed by the Centre, had sought to create conditions for an informal tie-up between the Nagas and the BJP which is seeking to make inroads into Manipur”.

‘Managing to Tackle Blockade’

According to the Manipur government’s counter-response to the MHA:

Even though there is economic blockade on the highways, the state government has been managing movement of trucks and essential commodities, including petroleum products.

Asserting that the “state government has actually discharged its legitimate duties by arresting people responsible” for the violence in November and December last year as well as those who imposed the “counter-blockade”, the Ibobi Singh establishment hit back, saying that the MHA’s claim that 135 companies of CPMF (central paramilitary forces) were sent to the state is “absolutely incorrect”.

The state government’s counter-reply says:

Actually, there were only 49 Coys of CPMF in the State prior to economic blockade. This has been confirmed by the head of the CPMF organisation located in the State. The same has been intimated by DGP Manipur to MHA on 31-12-2016 by fax to rectify the figures.

The Manipur government note says that barring only 10 Assembly segments (in the hills), the “law and order situation is absolutely normal” in the remaining 50. “The economic blockade is limited to NH-2 and call for picketing limited to Naga-dominated areas, which should not be seen as a total breakdown of public order”, the letter to the EC says. It goes on to blame the UNC for taking steps to “intensify the agitation” by way of picketing of government offices in Naga-dominated areas “with effect from 31-12-2016.”