A State in upheaval
A massive quantity of weapons falling into the wrong hands during the Manipur riots cannot be brushed aside. It is not hard to imagine the role this played in intensifying and prolonging the conflict in the trouble-torn State. Even today, it is mysterious why only 1,600 weapons out of over 4,000 “looted police weapons” have been “recovered or surrendered” so far (Page 1, July 24). These lootings must be a reminder that the possession of large quantities of weapons is indeed a double-edged sword, without proper precautions.
A. Venkatasubramanian,
Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu
Manipur has been on fire for nearly three months now, but there is no leadership either in Manipur or Delhi to douse this fire. The polarisation between the local communities has reached disturbing levels. The growing mistrust and divisions will have a detrimental effect. This is a social catastrophe and the responsibility to devise a comprehensive strategy lies with the political leadership. Concrete steps need to be taken after consultation with all stakeholders. There must be leadership in the worst of times.
S.K. Khosla,
Chandigarh
The stories of murder and assault against women are horrifying. Even more distressing is the political counter-offensive of raising incidents of atrocities committed against women in other States. All the incidents point to a failure in not taking swift and robust action against the perpetrators.
Gregory Fernandes,
Mumbai
No government worth its salt can take a fatalistic attitude towards the unending mayhem. The whataboutery over incidents in Rajasthan and West Bengal is strange. It is time the central government put all its energy and gave its full attention to salvage the horrid situation. The ‘lump-on-the-log’ insensitivity on the part of the government benumbs the country’s conscience.
Ayyasseri Raveendranath,
Aranmula, Kerala
The long-standing violence in Manipur confirms the continuity of India’s failed governance in northeast India. It defies the compass of accountability that N. Biren Singh is still the Chief Minister of Manipur after extreme violence. What is also frustrating is that certain groups instead of focusing on conflict resolution, are resolute in looking at other issues. The impeding of the Indian Army has stalled initiatives to ensure the safety of civilian groups, while also raising questions over India’s governance control over a borderland State.
Snehashish Mitra,
Kolkata
