India’s opposition wants Modi to act in Manipur


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.

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).
Latest Author Articles
The central bank war for independence

US stocks and the US dollar plunged again on Monday after the president colourfully called on Jerome Powell, the Fed Chair, to cut rates.  Anyway, while this monetary soap opera plays out on the world stage, it’s reignited a debate that everyone thought was resolved decades ago: the notion that central banks must be independent from politics.  Why? The […]

23 April, 2025
Is Russia seeking an airbase in Indonesia?

First it’s all the cars out front during inspection times. Then the new neighbours move in, dump some auto parts on the front lawn (which they immediately stop mowing), and yell at Premier League matches kicking off at 3am. The bad neighbours have arrived. We’ve all experienced something like that. Heck, Seth Rogen and Zac Efron […]

16 April, 2025
A false flag operation in the Caribbean?

In a normal week, Venezuela’s military going on high alert over claims of an enemy false flag operation might’ve made global headlines. But much like episodes of Twin Peaks, each week now feels less normal than the last. So join us on this wild journey. Stay on top of your world from inside your inbox. Subscribe […]

11 April, 2025
China’s new social credit rules just dropped

If the term ‘social credit scheme’ conjures up images of Bryce Dallas Howard having a full-blown breakdown in a pastel-coloured frock, well phew — it’s not just us. And as we’ll see below… maybe we’re not too far off the mark? ‘Social credit scheme’ is the term China uses for a national scoring system it just updated […]

2 April, 2025