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Journalism of Courage
An MP of the Mizo National Front (MNF), an NDA ally which said on Thursday morning that it would vote against the Modi government on the no-confidence motion, had his mic switched off in the Rajya Sabha on Friday while arguing that it was wrong to call “tribal people in Manipur Myanmarese”.
Amid ruckus in the House as the Opposition demanded a discussion on Manipur under Rule 167, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar adjourned the proceedings, while ordering that MNF MP K Vanlalvena’s speech would not go on record.
Rising to speak on the situation in Manipur, Vanlalvena referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday – during the no-confidence motion debate – in which he referred to uncontrolled infiltration from Myanmar after a coup by the military junta, while talking about the situation in the state.
When Dhankhar did not allow him to speak further, the entire Opposition supported the MNF MP and some of them trooped into the Well, raising slogans.
Dhankhar took up the legislative business and the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023, passed within minutes amid the din. The Bill seeks to allow people qualified or registered under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act to be registered as pharmacists.
Dhankhar then adjourned the House for the day amid Opposition protests.
Later, speaking with The Indian Express, Vanlalvena says he told the House: “I am from the state of Mizoram. I am a tribal MP. The Honorable Home Minister said that the tribal people in Manipur are Myanmarese. We are not Myanmarese. We are Indian. We have been living here before the British administration.”
Vanlalvena added: “We have been living here for 200 years, before the British expedition to India. We had been living many years in the Northeast before Indian Independence. We are not foreigners. We are the real owners of the Northeast since many years.”
Claiming “the burning of 300 churches in Manipur” and calling it “new world history”, Vanlalvena said: “It has never even happened in Communist countries. Are we still a secular state after the burning of over 300 churches? The hill areas of the Northeast belong to the tribal people and we must defend them.’’
However, the MNF MP clarified, he was opposed to the NDA only on the question of Manipur. “As far as the no-confidence motion is concerned, the MNF supports this no-confidence motion. But let me be clear, we support the no-confidence motion only on the issue of Manipur. Outside of that, we continue to be part of the NDA, and continue to support the Centre,” he said.
Expressing regret over “the way tribals in the state have been treated”, the MNF MP said: “The Kuki-zo tribes in Manipur belong to the Mizo community – they are our people. The troubles in Manipur state have not been created by the Myanmarese refugees but by the Centre and state governments. This was violence that was pre-planned by the Manipur government.”
Vanlalvena added that the Manipur issue will be one of the main electoral issues as Mizoram goes to Assembly polls later this year.
The ruling party of Mizoram, the MNF has been at the forefront of criticism of the Manipur government over handling of the clashes in the state. Mizoram CM Zoramthanga has also questioned the handling of the violence by both the state and Central governments.
Over 12,000 people belonging to the Kuki-Zomi tribes in Manipur, which are in conflict with the dominant Meiteis, have taken shelter in Mizoram since the violence erupted.
The MNF’s main political rival in the state, the Zoram People’s
Movement, has also spoken of the Manipur situation extensively. Vanlalvena said: “This will be an election issue… As far as Manipur is concerned, all Mizo parties are on the same side.”
