Insanity in Manipur: The Modi government’s failed approach

Doing the same thing and expecting different results—commonly attributed to Albert Einstein, this is the definition of insanity. It is a fitting description of the Narendra Modi government's approach to the Manipur crisis. Despite escalating majoritarian violence and deepening ethnic divisions, the Modi government has persisted with policies that have failed to yield peace or stability. This is not just a disaster of governance and security, it is a betrayal of the trust placed in the Bharatiya Janata Party by the people of Manipur.

The crisis in Manipur began in May 2023, sparked by ethnic tensions between the Meitei and Kuki–Zo communities, and exacerbated by the policies of the BJP’s state government, headed by N Biren Singh. Over two hundred lives have been lost, and more than sixty thousand people displaced, with the situation remaining volatile despite official claims of improvement. The government’s response has been slow and ineffective, with Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah either remaining apathetic or politicising the issue when it suits them. The absence of a clear policy framework and their reluctance to engage with local communities have exacerbated mistrust and allowed violence to go on for days on end.

Modi has still not visited Manipur even once throughout the crisis—an indicator of his detachment from the state's problems and perhaps the populist desire to evade bad news. Shah's characterisation of the violence as an "ethnic clash," comparing it to clashes between Nagas and Kukis three decades ago, was an attempt to downplay the severity of the situation. It overlooked the complex interplay of factors, primarily the majoritarian politics of the BJP state government, that have led to this crisis. By supporting Singh as chief minister and his policies despite patent failures, Shah chose to ignore the deeper social and political grievances fuelling the Manipur crisis.

Singh was forced to quit as the chief minister this year due to a rebellion within the party, and the state was brought under president’s rule only after the BJP could not choose a successor. The state should have been placed under president’s rule much earlier, in 2023, but Shah’s backing kept Singh in power. Shah has not made any amends since, and his approach does little to reassure the affected communities, particularly the Kukis, rebuild trust or provide a roadmap for lasting peace in the state. He is pushing for forcibly opening the roads between the valley and the hills, refuses to engage with the legitimate political aspirations of the Kuki–Zo community and seeks to browbeat them into submission.