Opposition to destruction in the name of development

The Manipur government has met with popular resistance against its attempts to forcibly acquire vast tracts of agricultural land at Kyamgei Loukon for the construction of a NIT campus. When peaceful appeals and sit-in protests carried out since 16 March, failed to yield any outcome, the people decided on a general strike. On 21 March, the people of Kyamgei confronted the government on this question. However, instead of coming forward to take part in a dialogue, the government met the strikers on 22nd March with heavy security forces and forcibly demarcated the land. Several protestors were injured in this brutal reprisal.

Kyamgei loukon, near Imphal, is a fertile tract of land that grows food crops, particularly paddy. About ninety five percent of the total population of Kyamgei, depends on the loukon (agricultural land) for primary sources of livelihood. Apart from cultivation of paddy, the loukon serves as pasture for grazing during off seasons and the basic source of medical herbs, edible plants, stems and roots. Defying all these facts and notwithstanding the implications of its plan to apply this land to construct a campus for an NIT, the government of Manipur went ahead to acquire the land under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894. This haste, on the part of the government, has only exacerbated the deep suspicious and apprehensions of the people of Manipur towards the government's development policy for the state.

It cannot be denied that the youth of the state have very few academic and job opportunities; this is reflected in the numbers of Manipuri youth that have to come out to study in Delhi, Pune, etc and also in the number of youth who have to seek employment outside their state. But in choosing to locate a NIT in Kyamgei, against the wishes of the people, the Central government has acted once more in an imperious manner.

This is not the first instance of people protesting against a government policy that is purported to be in the interest of the people. From time to time, the Central Government has announced "development projects" that claim to benefit the entire population of the state. These projects are projected as generous gifts of the Central state,. On the contrary, these are devious attempts to cover up the truth — that the Indian state is least concerned about the conditions of life of the Manipuri people. This is also true for other states in the north-east and Kashmir.

The protest against the location of NIT at Kyamgei has, once again, raised some important questions.

Is the destruction of prime agricultural land in order to construct buildings and institutions in the interest of the people? Furthermore, what about the livelihood of the affected peasants? Manipur, with more than 80 percent of the population directly or indirectly engaged in cultivation activities, has failed to meet the demand of its population for food. The shortage in regional output for daily domestic consumption is being fulfilled through import of relatively low grade rice, the principal food grain consumed. There has been little or no assistance from the Central state for agricultural development and there is apprehension of gradual shrinking of actual agricultural area under cultivation, due to expansion of settlements at the cost of cultivable area.

There is legitimate concern about the state's intentions. In the past, in the case of several projects such as Thoubal Multipurpose Project, Tipaimukh Project, Capitol Project, it has come to light that some vested interests have clearly benefited, while the working people have have in fact suffered further deprivation due to displacement, loss of homes and livelihood.

Finally, these projects are implemented with undue haste, by-passing or violating legal or procedural obligations and public consent required at various stages. There are instances wherein the Central State has stooped to even forgery to provide legitimacy to these projects.

The Central state's attempt at pacifying the people by throwing a few crumbs of "development" stands exposed. The people of Manipur who have come out in protest against loss of their land and livelihood are not deceived. This struggle is part of the overall struggle in defence of their sovereignty, the right to decide their own destiny.