A fractured Manipur

THE imposition of President’s rule in Manipur, a few days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s resignation, is a belated but necessary intervention in a state ravaged by ethnic violence for nearly two years. The conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which has claimed over 250 lives and displaced thousands over the past nearly two years, has exposed the failure of both the state and Central governments in maintaining law and order. Article 356 of the Constitution, often criticised as a tool of political manipulation, has in this case been invoked due to an undeniable breakdown of governance. The BJP-led government collapsed under the weight of its own contradictions, unable to quell the violence or even agree on a successor to Singh. This political paralysis, coupled with allegations against Singh, made President’s rule an inevitable outcome.

For the Kukis, this move provides a measure of relief as they had long accused Singh’s administration of bias. However, scepticism remains. Will direct Central control pave the way for reconciliation or will it simply be a holding pattern until the BJP finds a politically expedient way forward? The state's ethnic divide is deep and any solution must involve genuine dialogue rather than administrative band-aids.

The broader question is whether President’s rule will be used to merely restore the BJP’s control or to genuinely reset Manipur’s fractured political and social fabric. The Modi government, which has largely remained distant from the crisis, must seize this opportunity to initiate meaningful peace-building measures rather than let the state drift into prolonged uncertainty. Anything less would be another betrayal of Manipur’s long-suffering people.