Over the past few years, there have been calls for the non-Manipuri and migrant population living and working in the state to head back to their own native places. Those who give these calls say that their increasing numbers are a threat to the social culture and identity of the ‘original’ people of the state and express their fear that the ‘outsiders’ will fast outnumber the ‘insiders’. Some point out to the socio-political history of Tripura where the indigenous Tripuris have in the course of time been relegated to the status of a minority people, swamped by the more numerous Bengali and other communities. The ‘threat’ of the outsiders have taken various forms and in its resulting response, seen its at times violent rendition. Much before groups and organizations started talking about the politics of the outsider versus the insider, various armed groups have taken ‘drives’ to oust them from the state by serving diktats to leave and even resorting to killing some of the more unfortunate ones in Manipur.
The irony of such fears of being closeted and being snuffed out economically, socially and by extension politically reaching out to identity issues is that the majority of the migrant population in Manipur are the poorest section who do not have the resources or the leverage to subvert the majority indigenous or local population of the state into a minority one. They are the ones who rather venture into certain work openings that the majority indigenous population, hold beneath them to take up. A look around Manipur’s economic hub, which lies in the Paona bazaar area but more so, in the area in and around Thangal Bazaar will bring clarity here. There is a dearth of local faces among those who stitch torn shoes and bags, among those who carry heavy loads or pull thelas, among those who load and unloaded good laden trucks. Outside of the bazaar areas and in the domain of our homes too, the majority of people agree that the handiwork of masons and building overseers including plumbing are best done by the non- migrant people. While small scale industries like bakeries and sweet shops are mostly staffed by the ‘outsiders’, the ones who run mobile ‘juice’ trolleys and selling gas balloons or who sell popcorn or assorted knick knacks are all non migrants. Theirs is a story of enterprise and finding ways to eke a living.
Unfortunately, the sheer number of this population makes them stand out while the ones who really have a say in the economy and even political decisions of the state incidentally happen to be a minuscule section of ‘outsiders’ who have come to be accepted as citizens of the state. They are the ones who remain as dealers of various consumer products and commodities and who control a majority of the economic transactions of the state. The unexpressed truth is that it is the pull of this select few of Non Manipuris that is really the crux of the matter. But because they have the finances, the obvious corollary also is that they would have the power of money and by that same extension, have the clout over political forces and decisions to be protected and to protect various players and stakeholders of the state. This certainly explains why no diktats or calls for ‘no entry to outsiders’ really touches this group and why it is the migrant population at the bottom rung who have to head back to their native states when diktats come calling.
The non migrant labor force thrives in the state because the locals are not either up to doing the kind of work they do or are not ready to take up the kind of work the ‘outsiders’ take up. The day, a working class of locals step in to the areas that are yet to see their entrance, there will be more competition and perhaps a tendency to call for local labor force in case the quality of the work output is at par with each other. Instead of targeting this section of people for providing services that we cannot do without, it would be more practical to inculcate a sense of dignity for labor among our own ‘local’ population. It would also not help the ‘insiders’ to reclaim the control of finances or power play at all by venting out the ‘outsiders, go back’ stand to this section for they are at best caught between the pressures of coping as a ‘minority’ group negotiating their existence and work spaces with even the rates of their services decided by various ‘social groups’ and then having to eke out their existence. The story of their trails and tribulations are not often told and shared but certainly needs to be acknowledged. It also needs to be remembered that the stories of migrating work forces coping in the backyard of ‘the others’ is similar across states, regions and countries. They are needed and welcome as long as they lie in the shadows and working away for the comfort of the ‘locals’. But the moment, they prosper and get seen in circles of power, they are resented and unwanted.