Congress rejects N Biren Singh’s apology over Manipur violence: Not enough​on January 3, 2025 at 9:58 pm

Congress rejects N Biren Singh’s apology over Manipur violence: Not enough

​Congress rejects N Biren Singh’s apology over Manipur violence: Not enough Congress rejects N Biren Singh’s apology over Manipur violence: Not enough   

The Congress in Manipur on Friday slammed state Chief Minister N Biren Singh for the ongoing violence in the state and said that an apology from the chief minister is not enough.

Speaking on the issue, Manipur Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi Singh further said, “This is too late an apology and many people criticise him. Apology is not enough”. He further said that an apology can work in the case of an unpredicted incident like a train accident, but not in case of administrative failure which led to violence.

Singh also slammed Singh for constantly claiming that the challenges faced by the state are due to the previous government’s failures instead of properly dealing with the law and order situation.

“They do not understand and know how to deal with and administer the law and order situation of Manipur, which is why they blame the past Congress government for the present law and order situation,” Ibobi Singh said.

“It is very unfortunate and he should be ashamed of blaming the past government,” said Ibobi, adding that he said sorry after people killing each other for about two years.

The statement came hours after the chief minister claimed that those who are indulging in politics over his apology to the people on the 20-month-long ethnic conflict are seeking unrest in the state.

Further questioning the Chief Minister, Ibobi Singh said that on May 21, 2023, N Biren said that due to lapses in security and intelligence failure, violence broke out in the state. However, later Chief Minister said that they would take responsibility then why he is not taking moral responsibility, Ibobi Singh questioned.

Still, the government is unable to find out the actual root cause of violent conflict in Manipur, and giving different versions from time to time, said Ibobi.

“One day they will say narcoterrorist, another day illegal immigrants, and another day ethnic conflict etc,” said Ibobi.

“If the past government had done wrong then why can’t the present government rectify what the past government had done wrong,” he questioned.

The Chief Minister on Tuesday apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state and appealed to all communities to forget and forgive past mistakes and start afresh.

Speaking on fencing along the Myanmar border, Ibobi Singh said during the 2010-11 financial year, the Centre approved the construction of fencing in 10 km.

“By 2013-14, 4.2 km of fencing works have been completed. Biren Singh, however, is claiming that border fencing began during his tenure and is taking credits for whatever is completed,” the Congress leader said.

Ibobi Singh was the chief minister of Manipur between 2002 and 2017. Biren Singh became the CM when the BJP came to power in 2017.

“They are claiming that illegal immigrants entered Manipur only during the time of the Congress… However, I am told that according to MHA reports, a large number of illegal immigrants entered (the state) in 2021 after a military coup in Myanmar,” Ibobi Singh said.

He also said Biren Singh has been consistently claiming that the signing of the Suspension of Operations agreement in 2008 was one of the major reasons for the violence. “However, despite being in power for 10 years, the NDA government has not abrogated the SoO,” he said.

The SoO agreement was signed by the Centre, Manipur government and two conglomerates of Kuki militant outfits – Kuki National Organisations and United Peoples Front. The pact was signed in 2008 and extended periodically.

“If something wrong is there with the SoO, the BJP government could have taken action… could have come out of the pact. Instead of taking appropriate law and order action, they are trying to shift the blame on the earlier government,” the Congress leader said.