Sudha Ramachandran
On January 24, the Manipur state government in India publically capitulated to a radical ethnic Meitei militia, the Arambai Tenggol. While elected representatives succumbing to the pressure of militias and armed separatists in India’s insurgency-wracked northeastern states is hardly a recent phenomenon, this event was unprecedented. Four days earlier, the Arambai Tenggol summoned all legislators of the Meitei ethnic majority to the Kangla Fort in Manipur’s capital, Imphal, warning that anyone who did not participate would be treated as “an enemy of the Meitei community” (Sangai Express, January 20). This event highlights the importance of understanding the Arambai Tenggol, from its evolution to the factors behind its spectacular rise.
Manipur’s Capitulation
As many as 37 members of the Manipur state legislative assembly and two members of the state’s representation in the national parliament showed up for the event. In the presence of Korounganba Khuman, leader of the Arambai Tenggol, and scores of his commanders, the lawmakers proceeded to sign a six-point pledge in support of the militia’s key demands. Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not attend the event, but nevertheless eventually signed on to the militia’s demands (Indian Express, January 25; Imphal Free Press, January 26).
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