DON'T MISS
An exclusive interview with Dr Nara
Dr Moirangthem Nara is the candidate of Communist Party of India (CPI) contesting the 16th Lok Sabha election in Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. He is 63 years old and he is the son of (late) Moirangthem Ton of Tentha Khongbal in Thoubal district.
Dr Nara had been an MLA from Wangjing-Tentha A/C and he was also the Minister of Art & Culture in the Congress-led Secular Progressive Front (SPF)-I Manipur Government. He had also contested the last Lok Sabha election on CPI ticket.
HL: How do you feel being a common candidate of Left and Secular Alliance (LSA) besides getting support from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha election?
Nara: Manipur was an independent state inhabited by different communities in peace and harmony. However, it became a troubled state after its merger with the India Union in 1949. The Congress has been ruling India most of the time and they have done nothing good for the State. In order to teach the Congress a good lesson this time, various political parties and people belonging to different communities have supported me in this Lok Sabha election.
HL: You were defeated by the Congress candidate by a narrow margin in the previous Lok Sabha election. But, this time you are being supported by various political parties. Are you confident of winning the election?
Nara: I am quite confident of winning this election. The 16th Lok Sabha election is very important. It is a well-known fact that the sitting Congress MPs of the State have been quite silent and never raised the State’s issues in the Parliament. So, the electorates will obviously want a change this time.
HL: How do you feel contesting the Lok Sabha election against the Congress which has strength of 47 MLAs in the State Assembly?
Nara: There is nothing to fear about the Congress MLAs. All of them were elected by the minority voters. Even some Congressmen will surely vote against their own party candidates. The people of the State will definitely acknowledge the crucial roles played by the CPI and its allies in addressing the core issues of the State.
HL: In your election manifesto, you promise to address several core issues of the State and also develop the State’s economy, education, tourism and health sector. But, things like improvement of communication technology, especially the internet in the State are not found in the manifesto. What is your comment on this?
Nara: The state of affairs in Manipur is very disappointing. The people are deprived even of their basic amenities like water and power. There is need for improvement of IT infrastructures, and enhance internet speed and power supply in the State to help the people in terms of business, education, media and other fields.
HL: Kindly highlight your election manifesto – things you pledge to do after getting elected.
Nara: There are altogether 25 points in my election manifesto. They are implementation of proper land reforms in the State, distribution of excess land to landless people, housing scheme for homeless people, providing adequate wages for agricultural labourers, protection of arable land, pension scheme for farmers, establishment of industries for employment generation, nationalization of mineral and oil resources, augmentation in tax collection, providing 35 kg of rice at Rs. 2 per kg to every household, prevention of communal forces, more budgetary allocation for education and health sectors, non-privatization of public enterprises, effective implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act, curbing corruption, empowerment of women and gender equality in every field, protection of workers’ rights, implementation of sovereign foreign policy, prevention of terrorism activities, reformation of jails, protection of children’s rights, ensuring freedom of press, resolving Indo-Myanmar bordering fencing row, revocation of Disturbed Area Status from whole State, protection of State’s territorial integrity, initiating peace talks with all underground outfits, protection of languages and identity of all communities, railway connectivity up to Imphal, providing adequate security along the National Highways, implementation of Inner Line Permit System, development for minorities, formulation of youth policy, strengthening of sports movement, setting up separate Directorate for Scheduled Castes, protection of cultural identity of every tribe, formulation of land use policy and transparent utilization of local area development fund.

Operation Bluebird: July-October 1987

The Assam rifles have sealed off the area, and on July 11, 1987 an extensive combing operation was launched with the code name "Operation Bluebird" with a view to genocide under the cover of recovering the looted arms and ammunition. Operation-Bluebird was carried out in surrounding thirty villages of Oinam- Oinam, Thingba Khullen, Thigba Khunou, Khabung, Sorbung, Ngamju, Purul Akutpa, Purul Atongba, Koide Maiba, Phuba Thapham, Phuba khuman, Liyai, Chingmei khullen, Chingmei khunou, Phaibung khullen, Phaibung khunou, Lakhamai Sirong, Sirong Shofii, Kodom Khravo, Khongdei khuman, Khongdei Shimgphum, Khonggei Ngawar, Thiwa, Ngairi Khullen, Ngairi Leishang, Ngiri Raiduloumai, Tingsong and Khamson. The Operation carried out for nearly four months lasted till the end of October 1987.

Within a few days of launching the operation , the Assam Rifles shot dead fifteen persons after subjecting them to inhuman torture. There were serious of reports of villagers being subjected to all kinds of cruel inhuman and degrading treatment by the Assam Rifles. The whole area was imposed with curfew. The villagers were made to stand in the open, exposed to torrential rains and scorching heat for weeks. The Assam Rifles went from house to house searching and looting valuable things of the villagers. People were not allowed to go to their fields and to tend their cattle's, thereby millions worth rupees of agricultural crops were destroyed. The Assam Rifles, chasing up and down the villagers, grouping them beating and torturing the able-bodied young man after stripping them naked before the public view as dreaded criminals, confined the mammoth in the concentration camp and kept them for days together without food and water, and not even the infants, the sick, and the aged men were spared. Many people were shot dead, many adults and babies died due to constant harassment, forced starvation and denial of medical aid and many died of shock seeing their dear ones tortoured to death. Hundreds of villagers were severely beaten and subjected to third degree method of torture. Men were blind-folded, hangd upside down, buried alive, given electric shocks, tied four limbs, kept for days together and dragged around at times, put chilly powder to the eyes and nostrils, beaten with Rifles butts, wooden logs, iron rod, lathis from foot to head, beaten leg on the table, crushed hand on the ground which leading to haemotysise, bone fracture, head injury, boxed on the face, chest, ear, pierced with needle or nails which caused many to hearing impairment and fractured ribs and many maimed and handicapped for life. Two women were forced to gave birth in the open air in-front of the Jawans,. mothers were forced to work for the Assam Rifles on the day of delivery, hundreds of villagers were forced to labour for the Assam Rifles for months without payment. Many houses were burnt down, several churches and schools were dismantled. Interrogation were made at gun-point, inserting pistol in the mouth. Pointing at forehead and heart etc. In such manner, the Assam Rifles had tortured the innocent public on the plea of searching for the lost arms.

Many public leaders, political leaders, journalists, student leaders,had voiced their concern and sent representation to the government. However, no official commission of enquiry or even an administrative investigation was forthcoming. The leaders coming to see the people were tortured and sent to jails on false charges. The Assam Rifles had completely disregarded the civil administration and ran a parallel administration in the area. The civil law had ceased to operate in Senapati District of Manipur. The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police were wrongfully confined, humiliated and prevented from discharging their duty by the Assam Rifles and the Chief Minister was made helpless in protecting the villagers from the Assam Rifles' atrocities. Thus the Assam Rifles overthrew the civil government and ran a Nazi type of despotic government in the area which have taken a heavy toll of many lives and devastated immeasurable amount of properties.

• The Assam Rifles have killed 27 innocent people after subjecting them to inhuman torture of which 21 were shot dead after torture and the rest died due to forced starvation, denial of medical aids in the concentration camp, and shock of torture.
• Three women were raped, five women were sexually molested two women were forced to get delivered child before the public view, pregnant women were forced to use as potter.
• 340 persons were beaten and tortured in third degree methods of various inhuman manners, 96 persons were arrested and detained at their camp for weeks in inhuman condition.
• 125 residential houses were burnt and 172 houses were dismantled, 10 churches and 6 schools were dismantled

where minds are always in fear and heads are hung low
Where knowledge comes with capitation fees
A world broken in a million fragments by violence
Where words come for the depths of untruth
Where every body is too lazy to strive for perfection
And the muddy stream of madness is overflowing
Into every once green terrain and clean habitat
Where minds are now gleefully led by the devil
Into the ever narrowing lanes of inaction
From this nightmare, my Father, let this world awake...