Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has assured the representatives of 10 non-BJP political parties that he would on Monday seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the ongoing unrest in the State.
A team comprising the MLAs of the ruling and Opposition parties would rush to New Delhi as soon as the appointment is received, he told the representatives in his office on Sunday night.
During the 90-minute meeting, the representatives of the political parties highlighted the killings of common people and some personnel of the State forces by armed groups.
Earlier in the day, the BJP legislators had a closed-door meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss the possible resignation of the BJP-led Ministry, following pressure allegedly exerted by a radical group. Three MLAs were absent on medical grounds.
“No decision has been taken because we are yet to decide who we should hand over the administration to. People have suffered a great deal for a long time and their conditions should not be overlooked,” Mr. Singh said.
“This is not the time for politicking. All political parties have joined hands to chalk out the next strategy to ensure peace in the State,” Nimaichand Luwang, the chief spokesperson of the Janata Dal (United) said.
Last year, Mr. Singh had come out of his official residence to reportedly submit his resignation to Governor Anusuiya Uikey. Scores of women who had converged near the Chief Minister’s Office snatched the resignation letter and tore it up, saying that the time was not ripe for him to quit.
The day also saw Mr. Singh visiting the houses of four civilians killed in the Bishnupur district recently. Announcing a compensation of ₹10 lakh for each, he denied accusations that his government was going soft on tribal extremists.
“The killers of Chingtham Anand, the SDPO [Sub-Divisional Police Officer] of Moreh, have been arrested. But if the Central forces fail to protect the lives and properties of the people of Manipur, they should go back,” he said in the first such criticism of the Central forces.
Meanwhile, a police report said some armed miscreants opened fire at a Meitei village in Jiribam adjoining southern Assam’s Cachar district, on Sunday. No one was hurt in the attack.
More than 200 people have been killed and some 70,000 others displaced in the ethnic conflict since May 3, 2023.
