The ‘I.N.D.I.A.’ opposition bloc has submitted a no-confidence motion this week over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of ethnic violence in Manipur state (in India’s northeast, bordering Myanmar).
Tensions in Manipur escalated in early May, when:
- ⚖️ a court directed the state government to extend special tribal privileges to Meitei communities (53% of the local population), and
- ✊ the smaller Kuki and Naga communities (comprising 40%) feared this would allow Meitei to cement their power.
So violence broke out, taking at least 140 lives, displacing 60,000 others, and triggering national and global outrage with graphic footage.
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Critics say Modi initially stayed silent because his own party runs Manipur, where tensions also have a faith dimension (Hindu/Christian); a regional angle (with spill-over from conflict-torn Myanmar); and a narcotics factor (with claims the state’s war on poppy cultivation has targeted Kuki areas).
Intrigue’s take: The opposition knows its motion (to be heard within ten days) can’t oust Modi given his huge majority in parliament. But it’s a flex for the new ‘I.N.D.I.A.’ bloc ahead of next year’s elections. And it’s an attempt – in India’s parliamentary tradition – to hold the government to account on a deeply troubling issue.
Also worth noting:
- An internet ban in Manipur has complicated efforts to verify local reports.
- Modi spoke about the months-long violence in Manipur for the first time last week, referring to sexual violence against Kuki women as “shameful for any civilised nation.”
- He faced his first no-confidence motion in 2018, before seemingly predicting a second motion would come in 2023 (this footage has now gone viral in India).