Manipur CM Biren Singh fires back at Jairam Ramesh – ‘because of the past sins of Congress’

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh hit back at Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur. Singh accused the Congress of ‘playing politics’ over it all the time instead of focusing on resolving the state’s core issues.

Singh alleged that the Congress party’s past actions had created the current turmoil in the state. Singh also pointed out the repeated settlement of Burmese refugees in Manipur and the signing of the SoO (Suspended Operations) Agreement with Myanmar-based militants, which was led by former Home Minister P Chidambaram.

“Everyone, including yourself, is aware that Manipur is in turmoil today because of the past sins committed by the Congress, such as the repeated settlement of Burmese refugees in Manipur and the signing of the SoO Agreement with Myanmar-based militants in the state, spearheaded by P Chidambaram during his tenure as the Home Minister of India,” the Manipur CM wrote on X.

Singh said that, as a Chief Minister, his apology was an appeal to the people to forgive and forget what had happened.

“The apology I extended today was a sincere act of expressing my grief for the people who have been left displaced and become homeless. As a Chief Minister, it was an appeal to forgive and forget what had happened. However, you brought politics into it,” the Chief Minister said.

Naga-Kuki clashes in Manipur

He further recalled the Naga-Kuki clashes in Manipur between 1992 and 1997, saying this period marked one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts in northeast India, deeply affecting relations between the Naga and Kuki communities in Manipur.

“This period marked one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts in northeast India, deeply affecting relations between the Naga and Kuki communities in Manipur,” CM Singh added.

The Chief Minister targeted the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, who was in power from 1991 to 1996, for not visiting the state during the conflicts and not offering an apology.

“Did PV Narasimha Rao, who served as the Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996 and was the President of the Indian National Congress during this time, come to Manipur to extend an apology? The Kuki-Paite clashes claimed 350 lives in the state. During most of the Kuki-Paite clashes (1997-1998), IK Gujral was the Prime Minister of India. Did he visit Manipur and say sorry to the people?” he said.

Singh’s remark came after Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday hit out at PM Modi for not visiting the violence-hit state. 

“It has taken 19 months for the CM to say what he has said today, and it is not enough. The real issue is not what the CM says or does not say. The real issue is why, for 19 months, the PM has not spoken; he has travelled all over the country, but he has not found time to go to Manipur. The issue is not what this puppet CM says or does not say; the issue is why the PM is refusing to visit the state of Manipur and refusing to reach out to different communities of Manipur,” the Congress leader said.

Earlier on Tuesday, apologising for the ongoing crisis in the state, in which around 200 people have died and many have left their homes, Singh asked people to “forget the past” and start a new life for a peaceful and prosperous Manipur.

The violence in Manipur between the Meitei and the Kuki communities erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2023, following the Manipur High Court order directing the state to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.