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On December 9 one
battalion of the Manipur Rifles went on an arms-down strike. Over the days the
mutiny spread. It soon engulfed all the 12 battalions of the Manipur Rifles,
personnel of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), staff of the Manipur Police
Training School (MPTS), and government departments such as the Fire Services and
Criminal Investigation. When top ministers went to pacify them, the jawans
turned violent. The Deputy Chief Minister, the Minister of State for Home and
the Chief Secretary had a narrow escape, when the enraged jawans sought to
thrash them.
The immediate cause
for the strike was the massive misappropriation of jawans’ allowances by the top
echelons of the government and police. Allowances and dues, amounting to crores
of rupees, to the Manipur Rifles personnel for the period 1996 to 1998, have
been siphoned off by top officials. Immediately after the strike, the panic
stricken government produced the money and deposited it in the G.P. Fund account
of the personnel. But the strike continued with the jawans demanding action
against the culprits. The government, then found two scapegoats, but this
enraged the jawans further who said the government sought to cover up the scam.
Other sections also joined the strike with their own demands.
Manipur has a
powerful armed struggle of that nationality led by the PLA (People’s Liberation
Army). With this strike, all counter-insurgency operations have come to a
standstill. Besides, government work has been paralysed and the security
apparatus has totally collapsed. The VVIPs, in a state of shock, have confined
themselves to their residences and offices, as they are terrified to go out
without their security personnel.
No doubt the
misappropriation of their allowances was the last straw in the humiliations of
the jawans. Having to face daily abuse at the hands of their officers and
government officials, their patience finally cracked. Fortunately for the
rulers, on this occasion it was an arms down strike. A strike with arms in hand,
would have been more significant. But Manipur is not an exception. Such deep
contradictions between officers and jawans are brewing in all spheres of the
armed forces, para-military and police. The wide-scale revolt in the air force
two years back is an indication. The economic reforms, which pampers the
officers and allows them enormous kickbacks on deals, will only enhance these
contradictions. Many Manipur-style mini-revolts will be brewing throughout the
country.
December 15, 2000.
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