Fresh troubling news rustles through the grapevines among the uniformed tribals in Delhi, sparking speculation whether this is yet another attack from the Biren-Singh government.
Tribal violence in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur has flared up again after a brief hiatus. The divide and mistrust between the majority and minority communities are deepening.
On Monday evening, August 21, 2023, Manipur Bhavan in Delhi was buzzing with certain news when in hushed tones, an undisclosed individual revealed that an unexpected directive was issued from the Government of Manipur mandating the relocation of all uniformed tribals back to Manipur by August 28, 2023.
The events of this transfer unfolded when a transfer notification was issued to a police chief Kakingai Malangmei in Delhi. When the chief in question asked the seniors the reason for his transfer, the answer he got was the accumulation of numerous complaints against him, particularly concerning the inappropriate use of government vehicles.
Slowly, more news filtered out that different tribal officers were being transferred back to Manipur. What came as a shock to them was in all the transfers, their replacements were Meitei officers.
When the tribal officers sought measures to retain their posts, they were informed that it was impossible because this order was orchestrated from the top, thus nothing could be done about this, presumably from the Biren-Singh-led government in Manipur.
In this specific scenario, the wife of a police officer found herself in profound distress. Their 4-year-old son had recently been enrolled in Ryan International School in Delhi. However, as the husband faced a transfer back to Manipur, the wife, who wasn’t proficient in English, was confronted with the challenge of managing their son’s education in Delhi, rendering the situation incredibly daunting. Many family-challenging dimensions haunted tribal officers and families at this juncture.
The question arose as to why is it seemingly that the tribal officers alone are facing these transfers. The question arises whether there exists a deliberate endeavor to undermine and subdue the tribal community by enforcing their distance from the national capital, Delhi. The implications of such actions raise concerns about the preservation of their rights, representation, and overall well-being.
The strategic decision to keep the tribal population away from Delhi could potentially lead to a situation where their voices, concerns, and aspirations remain unheard on the national stage. By limiting their access to the heart of the country’s political and administrative discourse, the community’s ability to advocate for its interests may be compromised. Is this a ploy to weaken and suppress tribals from Biren Singh’s government? Now, what next?