Charred vehicles set ablaze in Imphal, Manipur, on Friday. (Image: PTI)
Including Meiteis under the ST list will mean that they will have the right to purchase land in hills, which they cannot do now. They have claimed that they are indigenous and they had the right to get ST status
The situation in Manipur is still tense even as the Indian Army and security forces are on a warfooting to restore peace. The deployment of troops has increased, but the army said the situation was now under control. Reports from the ground, however, said the situation was quite vulnerable and things were not right as the death toll increased to 54, as per officials.
The question is as to what led to large-scale violence and deaths. News18 gives a 360-degree view of the Manipur violence. Broadly, the demand for scheduled tribe status by the Meitei community is the major reason behind the conflict. But if deeply analysed, then different aspects will come up. From the point of view of its geography and poppy cultivation, there are a lot of reasons for the Manipur carnage.
Geography
To understand the Manipur conflict, it is important to understand the geography of this area. Manipur consists of the valley and hills. Imphal is located in the valley with one-ninth portion of the entire land. But the valley consists of the majority of the population of the state. The Meiteis are 53 percent of the entire population and they mostly stay in the valley.
The Kuki and Nagas mostly stay in the hills. As far as the land is concerned, hills cover a majority part of Manipur but the population is fewer in number. Since time immemorial, the hill people have alleged that all the development takes place in the valley but not where they stay.
So, the point of the protest of other tribes is that when Meiteis are privileged anyway, why should they be included in the ST category? Including them under this category will mean that they will have the right to purchase land in hills, which they cannot do now. Meiteis, however, claimed that they were indigenous and they had the right to get ST status.
So there is a major divide in the development taking place in the valley as opposed to the hills.
Land
Though Meities form 53 percent of the population, they are mostly confined to the valley. They cannot buy land in the hills and this is also another reason for which they have demanded ST status. They have taken up their case in court and, in March, the state was directed to consider this demand and take it up with the central government.
Chief minister N Biren Singh is also from the Meitei community. Hence, the other tribes feel that if Meiteis start buying land in the hills, it will pose a problem for them.
Poppy cultivation
The Biren Singh-led government has a strict policy against poppy cultivation and has made an effort to eradicate it from the state. Data shows that Manipur tops in destroying the poppy crop. Sources in the government said a certain section of people illegally crossed the border and tried cultivating poppy in dense forests. And the state is all against this.
Hill people said that they were also against poppy cultivation, but the government is targeting the hill tribes in the name of erasing poppy cultivation. The government has denied these allegations.
Illegal settlers in forest area
Illegal settlers in forest land is also a concern for the government, especially in Churachandpur district where the violence started. Increasing illegal migration from across the border also led the state government to come up with an identity check in the hills and forest areas, said the sources. Hill people said this identity check from house to house was to plan and throw out a particular community.
The ATSUM rally on May 3 in Churachandpur was supposed to be a peaceful rally. But sources on the ground said some forces instigated violence that spread like wildfire.
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