Manipur CM Responds to Congress Criticism Over PM's Absence in State

IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh responded sharply to the remarks made by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh regarding the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in violence-hit Manipur. The chief minister said the Congress had politicized the issue, adding that past actions by the party had brought the problems upon the state.

Singh attacked the Congress for its propensity to indulge in political attacks instead of solving Manipur's underlying problems. He said that some of the policies initiated by the Congress government, such as resettling Burmese refugees and signing the Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement with militants based in Myanmar, had immensely contributed to the current unrest.

"Everybody knows that Manipur's turmoil today is the result of the very decisions of the Congress itself- resettling Burmese refugees and signing SoO Agreement under former Home Minister P Chidambaram," Singh wrote on X.

The Chief Minister apologized to the people of Manipur for the current crisis, which has displaced hundreds and claimed around 200 lives. He asked people to "forgive and forget" the past and to move towards peace and prosperity.

Reminiscing over the Naga-Kuki clashes between 1992 and 1997, Singh claimed that it was one of the deadliest ethnic conflicts in Northeast India. He wanted to know why the then-Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao had not visited the state or offered an apology during the violence, which had strained inter-community relations.

Responding to Jairam Ramesh’s criticism of the Prime Minister, Singh argued that Congress leaders in power during the 1990s and 1997-1998 had similarly failed to address Manipur’s crises on the ground. 

Violence in Manipur reignited in May 2023 after a court ruling related to the Meitei community’s inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list, sparking clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities.

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