Debate began Tuesday in the Indian parliament on a motion of no confidence brought against the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by opposition parties. Remarks by Modi and a vote are expected Thursday, but it remains unclear if the PM will finally speak on the violence in Manipur, which is what the Lok Sabha's other factions are trying to achieve. While the motion is sure to be defeated by Modi's BJP majority, it is seen as a way to force Modi to address the issue.
The situation in remote Manipur in India's Northeastern corner has been described as on the brink of civil war as more than 100 people have died, tens of thousands have fled, fortifications have been built and armed militias have continued fighting for around two months despite the presence of the Indian army. The possibility of the state's majority Meitei population group being recognized as a scheduled tribe despite their (modest) advances set off the conflict with current scheduled tribes in the state which as of now retain a privilege over land purchases in tribal areas as well as freedom from income tax and affirmative action in government employment. While the Meitei group's distiction from mainstream Indian society might make them eligible for the status that they have been lobbying for, their adherance to Hinduism (most Northeastern hill tribes follow Christianity) has made the issue more contentious.
Despite Modi's silence on the issue, a survey by Pollsters India shows that a majority of the population said they were content with the response by India's central government, with only 25 percent saying the Union government could have done more. The almost 10,000 surveyed Indian adults were more discontent with the local response to the conflict. 55 percent said the violence in Manipur was stemming from an ethnic struggle, while 29 percent saw it as simply a law-and-order issue.
