THESE days the state of Manipur in the North-East has become a centre of people’s angry protests on account of a totally irrational decision of the NDA government at the centre. The central government has undemocratically as well as arbitrarily extended Naga ceasefire which clearly shows that it has virtually no regard for the honour and sentiments of the people and territorial integrity of Manipur and other concerned states. It further shows that the central government has shamelessly surrendered to the Naga militants. People of Manipur and some other states of the North-East suspect that American imperialists have a sinister hand in the centre’s agreement with the Naga militants as a result of which the ceasefire extension has been made.

In this agitation both common people and intelligentsia are firm on one demand that the Naga ceasefire agreement must be withdrawn and the ceasefire should be restricted only to Nagaland. For realising this demand they are prepared to make any sacrifice. Almost everyone in the state - men, women, youth, students, intellectuals, workers, peasants, professionals and other sections of the working class are exceedingly agitated at the irresponsible attitude of the central government and more particularly that of home minister L K Advani. The centre did not have consultations with the state governments of the North-East and unilaterally imposed its anti-people and anti-national decision to serve its morally disgusting and hateful political interests.

I visted Manipur’s capital Imphal as a member of the team of Left MPs which also included Baju Ban Reang and Nikhilanand Sar of CPI(M), Ajoy Chakraborty of CPI, Manoj Bhattacharya of RSP and Bir Singh Mahto of Forward Block. On our visit we personally obsereved the situation. Besides meeting the people from the various sections of the society, political leaders and officials, we also met the victims of the violence and the terror let loose by the central security force and made an assessment of the situation. Everyone whom we met condemned and opposed the Naga ceasfire extension and expressed indignation at the central government as well as the opportunistic parties like the BJP, Congress, Samata and the local parties having representation in the state and Manipur assembly.

It is noteworthy that leaders of these parties did nothing to oppose the centre’s anti-people action. Instead they remained shamelessly pre-occupied with the opportunistic defection game to serve their selfish interests. However the people of this small state having a population of just 23 lakh felt that they could not condone the crime of these leaders and a vast section of the people spontaneously came out on the roads to protest against the centre’s decision. Their anger got manifested in the destruction of the government property. A section of the enraged protestors set the assembly house and residence of the chief minister, speaker of the assembly and the union minister of the state Thoiba on fire and as a result these buildings were reduced to ashes. The governor’s house was somehow saved. However, the state party offices of the Congress, BJP, Samata and CPI could not escape the wrath of the people.

In the historic mass action, hundreds of women and men became victims of barbaric tyranny of the security forces, fourteen youth lost their life being shot and even the children and elderly persons were not spared.

It is amazing and utter cowardly that the MLAs belonging to the BJP, Samata and Congress, who aspire to govern the state are afraid of the people and are thus stationed at Delhi. The assembly has been suspended and the president’s rule has been imposed which is also fuelling people’s anger and the number of persons making supreme sacrifice continues to increase.

On reaching Imphal the members of the Left MPs team expressed their solidarity with the people of Manipur and paid homage to the fourteen martyres on the bank of river Imphal who laid their life in the struggle against the dictatorial approach of the NDA government which attempted to distort centre-state relations and thereby destroy the federal structure provided in the constituion. So far 18 youth and women have lost their life and their supreme sacrifice has inspired the democratic forces to put a check on the autocratic mentality of the BJP-led government at the centre.

Representatives of the various agitating organisations including All Manipur Club Organisation, a former chief minister, writers, doctors, students and literary personality Smt Vinodini told us that the Naga ceasefire extension agreement has been made as a part of conspiracy hatched by the central government in league with Muviah, leader of a militant outfit to separate Naga dominated regions from the various North-Eastern states and merge them with the existing Nagaland to create an enlarged state to be known by the name of Nagalim. According to them, Naga militants will thus acquire control over four districts, Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel which will lead to increased militancy in the whole state.

The central government has imposed president’s rule and placed the assembly under suspended animation on account of situation arising from corruption and defection game of the MLAs, including the ones from the alliance parties. Taking advantage of this volatile situation, the central government and its home ministry, is trying on the one hand, to appease imperialists propped up Naga militants and on the other to install a government of the thoroughly corrupt legislators and to realise the twin objectives it has taken recourse to barbaric repression and tyranny.

In each of the four districts to which Naga ceasefire has been extended on the plea that these are Naga majority areas, the population of Nagas is less than 50 per cent. Moreever, Nagas of these regions have never demanded that these districts should the separated from Manipur and included in Nagaland. But it is common knowledge that the officials in the central government and certain central agencies are in tandem with Naga militants, as a result of which the latter armed with highly sophisticated weapons are committing murders and abductions and looting the development fund. Hence, the common people, traders, professionals and dutiful government officials in the state are everyday victims of barbaric incidents.

From tourist’s point of view Manipur is a highly beautiful and attractive state. However, the irrational neglect of the centre has made it financially bankrupt. The senior government officials, have also confirmed that the centre's lack of interest and cruel neglect has led to numerous problems in the North-Eastern states. Thus the centre has destabilised the historic 2000 year old glorious tradition of the state while the kukis, maitis and nagas had set the example of goodwill, harmony and brotherhood. It seems that the central government’s action will assist in fulfilling the imperialists’ designs of fomenting conflict between the nagas and non-nagas.

Hence there was no reason why former home secretary Padamanabhaiah made an agreement representing the central government with Bangkok based militant Naga leader Muviah to extend the ceasefire without territorial limits. It is shocking that this was done at the back of the governor of Manipur and the state governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura. In the whole episode, dubious role of the central government, home minister Advani and George Fernandes has thoroughly exposed the NDA’s agenda and has also put a question mark on the centre’s claim of efficient governance.

Manipur has a long international boundary and is thus vulunerable to activities of anti-national militant organisations which all the time have the backing and support of the imperialists. People still remember that only some time back banned militants organisations had held a conference in Atlanta in the United States. In this conference, certain schemes were concretised to bring about a change in the existing situation in the North-Eastern states. So far only the workers and leaders of the CPI(M) and its fraternal organisations have set an example of valiant struggle in Tripura against the anti-national and inhumane activities of the militant outfits. For this purpose they adopted a firm approach towards the Congress and BJP ruled NDA governments at the centre. Now the people of Manipur are carrying out a unified struggle for the territorial integrity and dignity. The CPI(M) and other Left parties have also made their contribution to this struggle. The CPI(M) has cautioned the people of Manipur that in their own interests they should conduct their movements in an entirely democratic manner and thereby not allow the divisive forces to succeed.

The people of Manipur will not accept any thing short of removal of the Naga ceasefire extension from Manipur and limiting it to the state of Nagaland only. Manipuri MLAs who are presently stationed at Delhi have also demanded withdrawal of ceasefire extension latest by August 1. There is an apprehension that home minister L K Advani, NDA’s incharge for Manipur George Fernandes and other self-seeking politicians may do some manoeuvring to take a decision contrary to the expectations of the people of Manipur. Hence, it is necessary that all the Left and democratic nationalist forces remain alert to defeat the conspiratorial machinations of the central government.

The fighting people of Manipur have great expectations from the people of the country. They also expect unreserved and unequivocal support from the cross-section of the MPs for their cause. They further hope that henceforth the country will stop neglecting the states of the North-East and will make an attempt to integrate them in the mainstream of the country.