Yeh Jo India Hai Na: Manipur's 'Mann Ki Baat' is Choose Engagement, Not Silence

Camera: Athar Rather

Camera Assistant: Jasleen Kathuria

Video Producers: Zijah Sherwani, Shohini Bose

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

Yeh Jo India Hai Na… yahan Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a good idea.

It’s a good way to share his thoughts with the people, and not just to share good news, but also to connect with fellow citizens facing tough times, to let them know he’s with them, and to work on ways to ease their problems.

Now, can the PM address every issue, in every Mann Ki Baat? No he can’t. But can he leave out what is probably uppermost? No, he can’t. And so, this is Manipur’s Mann Ki Baat, for the Prime Minister - you chose silence, so we choose not to listen to Mann Ka Baat.

Such banners reflect the anger on the streets of Manipur, with protestors, many of them women, destroying radio sets, stamping them to bits. They are outraged because the PM in the 102nd edition of his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ did not talk about the violence in Manipur, in which over 100 people have been killed, and over 60,000 have been made homeless. They are upset, because it reinforces a view that many in Manipur hold – that they don’t matter much to those in power in Delhi.

PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ Made no Mention of Tonsing

The ongoing Meitei-Kuki ethnic violence, has thrown up many heart-breaking stories – like the killing of 7 year old Tonsing Hangsing, who was burnt alive in an ambulance by a mob, along with his mother Meena and his aunt Lydia.

Talking about little Tonsing, the PM could have reached out to both communities, pointing out that the kid’s dad was Kuki, and his mother was Meitei. He may have asked - which side has gained from killing a half Meitei – half Kuki child. It may not have ended the violence, but it may have sown the seeds of reconciliation, and it certainly would have eased the pain of some survivors.

But sadly, the PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ speechwriters thought it best to make no mention of Tonsing, to make no mention of all the dead, wounded and homeless, to make no mention of Manipur at all. Yeh Jo India Hai Na, here the viral videos of ordinary folk in Manipur protesting against the PM’s silence, have a message for India’s netas – tune in to our problems, or we will tune you out.

In the phrase used by the protestors – You Chose Silence – the key word is, CHOSE. Yes, the silence is disappointing, but what is disturbing, is the CHOICE to remain silent. It’s not easy to fathom. This is one of the worst cycles of violence that Northeast India has ever seen. Violence that is refusing to die down. The Home Minister’s trip was well meant, but didn’t bring down the mutual hostility, or the violence. Surely, it’s time for the PM to step in, or at least, speak.

What the PM Chooses to (and to Not) Talk About

Unfortunately, it seems the political spin doctors and political pundits who may have the PM’s ear, don’t see any win-win in Manipur for the PM. They possibly believe, that If he reached out to the Meiteis and Kukis, asking them to end the violence and come to a negotiation table, and IF that reach-out failed, it would damage the PM’s image as the nation’s Troubleshooter #1.

But should ‘fear of failure’ and misplaced perceptions of ‘image management’ determine what issues the Prime Minister should choose to talk or not talk about? If yes, then, as the saying goes, and as we are all in a ‘Yankee’ mood – ‘Houston, we have a problem!’

And let’s be clear, ‘choices’ are being made, constantly. During his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ the PM did ‘choose’ to talk about the Emergency imposed by then PM Indira Gandhi on 25th June 1975, and how it trampled all over democracy, imprisoning dissenters, opposition leaders, and muzzling the media. And again, during his US state visit, the PM did ‘choose’ to lead Yoga Day celebrations in a massive photo-op at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Nothing wrong with these choices - India does need constant reminding about the grim consequences of a leader undermining democracy, and the world does need reminding about India’s immense soft power, with Yoga being the PM’s favourite way of asserting it. But what’s worrying is the possible reasoning behind these ‘choices’. These are safe, risk-free ‘win-win’ choices.

But, shouldn’t the PM’s pundits and spin-gurus be advising him to talk about a crucial issue, simply because it is crucial? And not weigh the choice in terms of ‘win-win’ or ‘lose-lose’?

Let us also get to the real implication of this silence over the violence in Manipur. What it actually suggests is a reluctance to engage with the problem. Frankly, a mention in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, would have only had a temporary ‘feel-good’ impact, which would have soon worn off, if it had not been followed up with actual, sustained engagement with all the key stake holders – local politicians, local Meitei and Kuki community leaders, the security forces, and the extremely influential militant groups affiliated to both communities. The ‘Mann Ki Baat’ silence is just one sign of this reluctance to engage. There have also been reports of the BJP’s own MLAs camping in Delhi since early June, waiting to meet the PM, but to no avail. All they saw was his back as he boarded the plane for his US visit.

Protestors in Manipur Are No Pushovers

Let’s remind ourselves that it was sustained engagement that helped arrive at the Mizoram Accord decades ago, after which the state, which had faced militancy for years, practically became a model state in the north-east. It has prospered, it has had decades of free and robust elections. But in Manipur, there’s been little or no engagement. Elections have been held over the years, but many in the state will confirm that the writ of the state government runs thin beyond Manipur’s towns.

The serious issues facing the state stay largely unaddressed. Even with the militant groups – be it Meitei militants or Kuki militants – the strategy has been ‘extensions of ceasefire’, instead of hunkering down around a negotiation table. And this approach simply amounts to kicking the can forward, rather than actually engaging and resolving issues.

Today, even the RSS seems worried about the situation in Manipur, and the BJP leadership’s reluctance to engage. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s recent statement says - "…There is no place for violence and hatred in a democratic setup… the solution of any problem is possible only through mutual dialogue and expression of brotherhood in a peaceful atmosphere". He also underlined the issue of trust deficit, saying “It (problems) can be resolved by addressing the sense of insecurity and helplessness among the Meiteis and genuine concerns of the Kuki community simultaneously". Such a statement from the RSS is clearly a strong message for the BJP leadership, to urgently engage with the Manipur crisis.

Let’s also make no mistake that the protestors in Manipur are no pushovers. In some parts of India, this smashing of radios, and running down of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and the PM, may have invited a slew of FIRs, may have seen the protestors quickly labelled as anti-national on the WhatsApp universe, may even have seen the use of ‘Bulldozer Raj’ on some of their homes.

BUT, this is Manipur.

It has seen decades of insurgency by militant groups representing all of Manipur’s ethnic groups – Meiteis, Kuki-Zo, and Naga, over issues of identity, and greater autonomy. They have taken up arms against the Indian state, and use of the Army, and draconian laws such as the AFSPA over the decades, has only contained these groups, not resolved the issues.

So, let's understand, that in the case of Manipur - the use of force, the use of draconian laws, the vilification of dissenters (as has been tried during the farmer protests, the wrestlers’ protests, and so on) – none of this will work. And, silence will not work either. What will work, is good, solid, sincere, imaginative - engagement.