BJP's India : Manipur Burns, 54 Dead In Tribal Violence, 23,000 Flee Homes. Punjab / Khalistan Restless Again

As you are reading this violence has broken out in the northeast Indian state of Manipur (bordering Myanmar). Majority Meiti tribe (Hindus) have clashed with minority Kukis and Nagas (mostly Christians). The tribal Kukis and Nagas who make up 36% of the population are spread out over 90% of the lands whereas the Meities who make up 64% of the population occupy 10% of the land area.  There is a debate on who are the original peoples and who are the outsiders. (Have we heard this before?)

The BJP aligned State government has 'reclassified' the hindu majority Meiti people as a scheduled caste which means they get priorities in government jobs, university places, land ownership etc. This has sparked the other Kuki and Naga tribal people to protest. Hence 54 people have been killed so far, 23000 have fled from the violence and there are lockdowns in the fantastically green state of Manipur. This is that part of India which receives the highest rainfalls in the world.

Here are two quick videos if you are interested.  

Then over in the Punjab there is trouble brewing again over an independent Sikh homeland or Khalistan.  

Here is a quick round up by Prof James Kerr-Lindsey about the Punjab situation. 

The common theme is WHY now? No doubt these are old fractures that still plague India but why are these old issues flaring up at almost the same time?

The common denominator is the BJP and the PM Modi who have embarked on their own 'BJP supremacy' policies in India.  

Everything has a gestation period. Or a boiling point. Maybe these parts of India have reached their boiling points again. When the government people push for mutual respect and duty of care towards your neighbors these differences can usually be overcome and even disappear completely. But when the politicians depend on whipping up hatreds to win the peoples' votes then this is what will happen.  

If India can lock up its politicians, maybe the country will have a better chance at going somewhere together.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.