Democracy gives to its citizens enough space to protest against certain state actions which are seen as arbitrary or unjust. Citizens take to protests because they perceive that other modes of engagement with the ruling government have failed because the government is biased in favour of one group or the other. Most often the groups that perceive themselves as marginalised or excluded turn to direct action to pursue their causes. The case of Manipur, for instance, is seen as a perpetual war between the dominant groups in the valley (dominant because of their ability to influence governments by virtue of their larger population and therefore having more elected members in the state legislature and in government) and the minority Nagas and Kuki-Chin groups who also are indigenous residents of Manipur state. Manipur’s geography and politics is impartial to the Imphal valley which is hemmed in by the hills. Imphal valley where the Meiteis numbering nearly 60% of the population reside, is connected to the lifeline bringing goods to Manipur through National Highway 39 (Now Asian Highway 2) which connects Nagaland to Manipur and the National Highway 37 through Jiribam which connects Manipur to Assam and Meghalaya. For years now the Nagas of Manipur have raised their protests by blocking these two lifelines. This time the United Naga Council (UNC) called an economic blockade from November 1 to register their protest against the creation of 7 districts which cut through ethnic homelands.
This coupled with the demonetisation announced by Prime Minister Modi on November 8 has paralysed all economic activities in the Imphal valley. The worst hit from this 58 day strike are hospital services which need to get their quota of life saving drugs and equipments. Ironically patients from the hills which include Nagas and other tribes who need to travel outside Manipur are equally hit by the economic blockade. Prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed but the UNC is unrelenting despite appeals from various groups on humanitarian grounds. The Nagas and other hills tribes have no faith in the state government. Their appeal has always been to the Centre to be the arbiter in whatever complaints they have against the state government. But law and order is a state subject and the Union Home Ministry is right in pointing out that other than providing additional forces to break the economic blockade it cannot directly intervene in matters which must be dealt with by the state. Meanwhile the impasse continues to jeopardise the lives of common people.