Tough Measures, Hopefully in Velvet Gloves

The foisting of president's rule in insurgency-torn Manipur has, in the past, usually meant severely tough measures. People's fear is akin to childhood terror associated with dentist visits

- PRADIP PHANJOUBAM

Resident's rule in Manipur has completed three weeks. Initial apprehension among ordinary folks that this would be a bulldozer on a rampage is giving way to appreciation of what are seen as positive steps to bring back peace and normalcy in the state ravaged by a brutal and bitter ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo group of tribes and the Meiteis. This optimism notwithstanding, there can be no gainsaying that the road ahead will have many challenges.

Under the leadership of Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the Governor-in-Council has already taken some bold steps, which unfortunately were conspicuous by their absence for close to two years of violent civil strife under a popular government. On February 20, the governor first called for surrendering all illegally held firearms by February 28, extending it to March 6.

The governor's call has met with encouraging results, though not yet satisfactory. According to police records, in the immediate wake of the May 4 ethnic violence, violent mobs looted 6,020 firearms from police stations and armouries, mostly from the greater Imphal area. Other than these, there were also lootings from licensed armed stores, one of which was caught on multiple CCTV cameras of a private store in Churachandpur town on May 3 afternoon—the day the violence broke out—and became viral on the internet the same day.

On May 31, 2023, following an appeal by the then popular government, voluntary surrender of these stolen arms began in trickles. As of February 9, 2025, the day the then chief minister N Biren Singh resigned, paving the way for president's rule by "suspended animation", 3,422 stolen arms were voluntarily deposited or recovered.