Fifty-five days have passed since Manipur started burning. To this day, there has been no effective response to stop the violence. Caught between the silence of those who should take action and the helpless of the people of Manipur and those sympathetic to them, shouldn’t we be reflecting more and acting in unison? Why the deafness?
The nine-year-old Manipuri girl who has sent a video message to the Prime Minister, the 550 concerned citizens who petitioned the premier, the innumerable prayer sessions, petitions, the human chain that went unreported in the mainstream media, the number of appeals by Christian leaders and others, all these raise the same question, ‘Why are they who should act responsibly, so deaf?’
At times, there is the ‘selective hearing.’ For instance, one of the senior journalists in India pointed out how the violence in panchayat elections in West Bengal got such national media coverage, while Manipur had minimal or none.
The deafness and selective hearing become all the more painful when informed citizens say that the violence could be controlled within a short time, if they want it. For instance, Vibhuti Narain Rai, the former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh state, who has studied communal violence extensively, tells us that if the political leadership wishes any violence can be brought under control within 48 hours.
So, one cannot but conclude that the deafness is purposeful. They just do not want to hear the cry of the people in Manipur. In fact, observers remark, ‘Manipur is burning today in very large part due to the divisive politics played by the BJP and its governments at the Centre and the State. On them lies the onus to stop this ongoing civil war before more lives are lost.’
Or as Sandeep Pandey said recently, ‘for the time being BJP has been successful in converting a people known for valiantly fighting injustice to now fighting among themselves–a classic case of divide and rule? (In Counter Currents, 25 June 2023).
The role of hate speech
Over the years, particularly in North India hate speech has filled the air. Not just during elections, though during election time, the hate speeches become shriller. For instance, one of the videos circulating in the social media says this: ‘Today Hindu religion is in danger. We have to show unity. And right now, our first enemies are Christians. They go to the tribal areas in the name of Churches. They start St.Paul, Immanuel and Mission schools. All their staff target the poor and convert them to Christianity. Mother Teresa converted thousands of Indians to Christianity…’
The video goes on to call for being armed to fight Christians and Muslims.
Nobody seems to bother about such hate speeches.
The Organizer, the mouthpiece of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in their editorial of May 16, alleged that the bloodshed in Manipur was carried out with the support of the Church. What a contradiction in data. Just compare how many churches were burnt in comparison to the temples, or Christians dead or Hindus dead. It is sad that we should be thinking in those terms at all. Human lives lost is the real issue.
Unfortunately, the rulers of India today are promoting hate speech and the public is either not aware or ignores them. Both are extremely dangerous for the future of India.
There is enough historical evidence to show that hate speech over the years leads to genocide. The UN has constantly explained how the Holocaust, or the Cambodian genocide, or the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda in 1994, The Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina or the Rohingya crisis were all preceded by intense hate speech.
One is reminded of the proverb, ‘not even eagle flies over money.’
Adding to the business interests is the work of hate mongers in the US itself. Maya Jasanoff wrote. ‘Across America there are now more than 200 chapters of the overseas arm of India’s fascist inspired Hindu nationalist paramilitary organisation, the Rashtirya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, of which Mr. Modi is a long-time associate’ (New York Times 23.06.2023).
Manipur is no accident. It is the result of years of hate speech and divisive politics.
Response inspired by Christian charity
Responses, which are inspired by genuine Christian charity, should primarily be built on ‘Truth.’ Hence unmasking the prevalent hate speech and divisive policy of the ruling party should become a major concern. Large majority of the people are already brainwashed by hate speeches, which portray the Christians and Muslims as the prime enemy of the people of India. The hate speakers have taken ages and worked consistently.
The good people have been silent for too long. Hence, it is easier for the rulers to be pretending to be deaf. Caught between the deafness of the rulers and the helplessness of the minority, the way out is not prayer alone. (There seem to be a plethora of prayer appeals.) Prayer without action, in this case speaking against hate speech and calling out the divisive politics propagated by the ruling party, will be impotent. It is risky and many fear the consequences.
Pope Francis reminded once, ‘We do not come out from a crisis on our own: we need to take risks and take each other’s hand.’

M K George, Rome
Matters, India