The MST Bus Theatrics: How Biren’s Drama Once Again Failed to Convince His Own People [the Meiteis]

Thingkho le Malcha, 23 December 2023

On 19 December 2023, the Chief Secretary of Manipur issued a notification which said that the MST Bus service along Imphal-Kangpokpi-Mao and Imphal- Churachandpur will resume on 23 December. 

Information handed out to the public on 22 December provides more detail about the schedule and bus stations. As the sun rose on 23 December, there was huge excitement in Imphal, especially at BOC and Malom, the bus-stands for Mao and CCPur. Videos were circulated showing the buses leaving for their respective destinations. 

However, the situation in both Lamka and Kanggui towns remained calm, and there was no extraordinary excitement except that ITLF, CoTU, Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, and others issued press statements cautioning the public to remain alert. 

Meanwhile, to avoid any unwanted incident, particularly in Kanggui where our Naga brothers and sisters have always been given free passage, womenfolk were tasked to keep an eye on vehicles plying along the highway. 

As it turned out, the bus meant for Lamka with only one passenger reportedly returned to Imphal from Phougakchao, and on the northern side, it took a u-turn at Kanglatongbi before reaching Gamgiphai. 

This confirms that the media hype, particularly by Biren’s PR department through social media, has found no buyers among his own people. In fact, no sensible Meitei in their wildest dream will think of travelling along these two highways unless they are indoctrinated to sacrifice their life to draw media attention, as one Pebam Chittaranjan once did in 2004. It may be remembered that after Chittaranjan died of self-immolation, he was revered as a Hero of anti-AFSPA Crusader but the icon of the movement Irom Sharmila Chanu had given up her 16 years fast in 2016. Moreover, it is hard to imagine that somebody would choose to be a sacrificial lamp unless he/she has been drugged! 

Whatever the intention behind such a decision remains a mystery. It can only be guessed what Biren and his evil-minded advisors might have had in mind while taking the decision. So, it could possibly be any or all of these three: show to his political masters in New Delhi, rather, fool them, that normalcy has returned; or, test the Kuki-Zo’s preparedness in dealing with any situation; or, try to create misunderstanding between the Kuki-Zo and the Nagas. 

Whatever may be the intention, neither New Delhi nor the Nagas will easily be fooled by Biren and his cohorts. For the Kuki-Zo, it is just their concern for humanity to warn the innocent Meiteis to be cautious since the Nagas as a community are mature enough to avoid the trap. 

In fact, since the Kuki-Zo martyrs had just recently been buried in a mass funeral, their emotionally charged village volunteers were eagerly waiting for the Meiteis to cross the Line of Control which now separates them from “Manipur”!

(Published in Thingkho le Malcha on 23 December 2023)