Why is Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh standing firm amid demands to step down?

Imphal: With the Meitei-Kuki caste violence in Manipur threatening to spread to other northeastern states for over 80 days that has shaken the entire nation, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh is not ready to step down despite widespread demand for his resignation. Several opposition parties including the Congress and several Kuki-zo tribal organizations have been demanding the resignation of the chief minister and imposition of President’s rule in Manipur to restore peace and normalcy in the northeastern state.

When asked about the possibility of Singh’s resignation, Union minister Pratima Bhowmick, who was one of the central observers during last year’s Manipur assembly elections, said why should he resign, saying the violence in Manipur is extremely unfortunate but the violence in West Bengal has also destroyed the lives of people in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state.

“Violence against women has crossed all limits in Bengal. “The Trinamool Congress failed to protect the lives and properties of innocent people,” Bhowmik told IANS. When asked by media persons about his resignation, Biren Singh said: “I am not thinking that way. My priority is to bring peace and restore normalcy in the state. There are miscreants in every society but I will not spare them and eventually they will get proper punishment.

cre trending stories

Political commentator Rajkumar Satyajit Singh said that although Singh’s continuance in the top post is affecting the BJP’s image and credibility, there is no alternative leader better than Singh to lead the BJP government in Manipur. “Singh belongs to the Meitei community, which dominates Manipur’s electoral politics. His popularity among the Meitei community is almost undeniable. Under his leadership, the BJP returned to power in Manipur for a second term with an absolute majority in the February-March assembly elections last year, Satyajit Singh told IANS.

He said if Singh resigns, new political problems are likely to arise for the BJP. The Meiteis form about 53 percent of Manipur’s population of about three million and live mostly in the valley areas, while the tribal Nagas and Kukis form 40 percent of the population and live in the hill districts.

Biren Singh, a footballer, briefly served in the Border Security Force (BSF) before joining politics in 2002 and was a cabinet minister in the Congress-led government until February 2012. The 62-year-old quit the Congress in 2016 and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2017. Four BJP MLAs – Thokchom Radhes Haim, Karam Shyam, Raghumani Singh and Pounam Brojen Singh – quit the government between April 13 and April 24 in protest against the CM, before ethnic violence broke out between non-tribal Meiteis and tribal Kukis in Manipur on May 3.

The four BJP legislators were advisors to the chief minister and presidents of Manipur State Tourism Development Corporation, Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency and Manipur Development Society, respectively. The four MLAs claimed that they were not given due responsibility, funds and authority to perform their duties. Biren Singh, however, claimed that there was no difference of opinion or resentment among the MLAs.

The issue was discussed at an “inconclusive” party meeting in Imphal on 27 April. BJP’s Northeast Coordinator and National Spokesperson Sambit Patra and State BJP President A.Sharda Devi were present in the meeting. According to political analysts, the caste violence that broke out after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status has so far claimed over 160 lives, injured over 600 people from various communities and displaced over 70,000 people, besides destroying a large number of properties and vehicles, threatening the electoral prospects of the ruling BJP in Manipur. is likely to be affected. In the midst of caste violence, a section of BJP leaders and legislators are demanding the replacement of Biren Singh from the post of Chief Minister.

However, leaders and MLAs close to the Chief Minister claimed that his (Biren Singh) efforts to stop the drug menace, illegal trade of drugs from Myanmar, illegal poppy cultivation and cross-border infiltration have angered unscrupulous people and they are plotting against him. On 30 June, after a day of speculation and heavy drama, Biren Singh said that he would not resign at this “critical juncture”.

Biren Singh, accompanied by several ministers and leaders, came out of his official bungalow on the afternoon of 30 June, but when his convoy tried to proceed towards the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey, thousands of people, mostly women, surrounded his car and forced him to return to his residence. He later tweeted, “At this critical juncture, I want to make it clear that I will not resign as Chief Minister.”

Some media also carried Singh’s purported resignation letter addressed to the governor. Manipur Health and Family Welfare Minister and government spokesperson Sapam Ranjan Singh said the huge crowd prevented the chief minister from going to the Raj Bhavan.