NEW DELHI, April 15 -- Indian democracy lies in a pathetic state of total paralysis in Manipur, with lawlessness and anarchy reigning for nearly a year over the northeastern state with a population of a mere 37 lakhs.

The protracted bloodshed, mayhem, anarchy and the abject failure of state machinery to intervene and restore law and order continues amid a huge contingent of nearly 50,000 armed forces being reduced to spectators due to a lack of clear directions from the Central Government.

The country has witnessed several major bloody carnages in recent decades, like the 1983 massacre of Muslim migrants in Nellie in Assam, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, the 1993 Bombay riots after the Barbi Masjid demolition, the 2002 post-Godhra M...