Manipur CM: Congress 'playing politics' over PM Modi's visit to state, not resolving core issues

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh questioned Congress's motive of "playing politics all the time". He criticised Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's remark questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the conflict-hit state instead of focusing on resolving core issues in the state. 

Taking to the microblogging site X, CM Singh alleged that the past actions of the Congress party had created the current turmoil in the state. 

He 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 @PChidambaram_IN during his tenure as the Home Minister of India," he 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. 

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. 

"The Naga-Kuki clashes in Manipur resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,300 people and the displacement of thousands more. The violence persisted for several years, with periodic escalations occurring between 1992 and 1997, though the most intense period of conflict was in 1992-1993. The clashes began in 1992 and continued at varying intensities for around five years (1992-1997)," he said.

"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. 

He further added, "Instead of putting efforts to solve the core issues in Manipur, why is the @INCIndia playing politics over it all the time?"

This comes after Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday hit out at PM Modi after Biren Singh apologized for the ongoing 'crisis' in the state, which has been escalating since May 2023. 

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leader questioned why the PM has not spoken on the Manipur issue yet. 

"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. 
He further termed it as a failure of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, calling their refusal to go to Manipur an insult to the people. 

"The Prime Minister should go to Manipur and say the same thing that the CM said today. The people of Manipur are asking why the PM is neglecting us," Ramesh said.