Double standard
Elsewhere human lives are considered to be precious. But the brutal killing of Maneka shows that in Manipur it has no value at all.   

Chinu Gupta

Two years ago, Manipur was in flames over the alleged rape and killing of Manorama Devi by the jawans of Assam Rifles. Entire State came to a standstill for months. The agitators were demanding exemplary punishment of those guilty in the incident and withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Power Act.

Two years later, only God knows where those agitators have gone. This time another Manipuri girl has been killed. She was picked up by some youths from her house at night like Manorama and later found dead nearly a kilometer away from her house. But unlike Manorama, not a single voice was raised this time to protest against the brutal killing of Maneka. Entire world is now asking the reason behind the discrimination between Manorama and Maneka. Why Manorama is a martyr and Maneka is not? Why is this double standard? Where is the famous Manipuri conscience?

The answers are not very difficult to find. While  Manorama was killed by Assam Rifles jawans, Maneka was killed by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), an underground organization, against which no one dares to speak in Manipur. According to PLA, Maneka, secretary of Meira Paibi, was an Assam Rifle informer.

Before going further in to the issue, let us see what PLA has stated about the entire episode. Captain Pishak, Commander of PLA’s Auxiliary Unit and an official of the outfit’s publicity department told reporters that its cadres shot dead the woman activist for being an informer of the Assam Rifles. The spokesman of the outfit told media persons at a place in Churachandpur district that PLA cadres picked up the woman and shot her dead. The spokesman, however, clarified that the cadres did not take permission from the higher authority of the party to give capital punishment to the woman. The spokesman charged that Menaka worked as an agent and informer of the Assam Rifles posted at Sangang, near Wangoo. Menaka became an agent of the “enemy” against “revolutionary” groups of Manipur by posing as a Meira Paibi leader and was involved in the killing of a PLA cadre, arresting of two other PLA cadres, two members of KYKL and an innocent person from the district alleged the spokesman. He further charged Menaka of foiling an attempt by PLA cadres to mount a major ambush Assam Rifles at Wangoo on the day she was picked up and killed. The spokesman further stated that Menaka received one TV set and one mobile phone from the Assam Rifles.  There is nothing more to add after PLA version of the story. Elsewhere life is precious. But in Manipur it seems to have no value.

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