New Delhi/Imphal, Feb. 9 -- Nearly twenty-one months after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned on Sunday, submitting his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal. His decision came amid growing pressure from the state BJP and recent controversies over his leadership.
The governor accepted Singh's resignation along with that of his council of ministers but requested him to continue in office until alternative arrangements are made. The development came shortly after Singh's return from Delhi.
The resignation follows a new controversy that emerged after the Supreme Court sought a sealed-cover forensic report on leaked audio clips allegedly involving Singh's role in the ethnic violence that has claimed 250 lives in the state since May 2023.
The audio tapes reportedly contained conversations suggesting that Singh allegedly allowed Meitei groups to loot arms and ammunition from the state government during the unrest.
In his resignation letter, Singh expressed gratitude to the central government, "It has been an honour to serve the people of Manipur thus far. I am extremely grateful to the central government for time actions, interventions, developmental work and implementation of various projects for safeguarding the interests of every single Manipuri."
The letter also included requests to the Centre to maintain Manipur's territorial integrity and continue the "crackdown on border infiltration and to formulate policy for the deportation of the illegal immigrants and the fight against drugs and narco terrorism."
Congress, meanwhile, described Singh's resignation as "belated", and said "our frequent-flier" Prime Minister Narendra Modi must visit the state immediately and share with the people his plans to restore normalcy.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge described Singh's resignation as "shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted".
He also blamed Modi as the real culprit of "disdain and apathy" towards the strife-torn state.
The political developments intensified after Singh convened a meeting with BJP-led ruling alliance MLAs at the CM Secretariat on Saturday. The meeting was called in response to the opposition Congress's plans to move a no-confidence motion against Singh's government during the Assembly session starting February 10.
BJP sources indicated that Singh's resignation might aid the Centre's peace-brokering efforts between the state's two main ethnic communities. They noted that former home secretary Ajay Bhalla's appointment as state governor in December was aimed at accelerating peace and security measures.
A source revealed that Singh was losing support among BJP MLAs, with many having met party leaders in Delhi to express their dissatisfaction with his leadership. There were concerns that some party MLAs might challenge their own leadership during the upcoming state assembly session.
The Congress responded to Singh's resignation, calling it "belated" and stating that the people of Manipur were now waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the state.
State BJP president A Sharda commented, "We are yet to receive further instructions from the party." She added that Singh "worked tirelessly for the development and integrity of the state" and "has been trying to bring peace in the state since the ethnic violence broke out on May 3, 2023."
The resignation comes amid legal challenges, as the Supreme Court on February 3 requested a report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) within six weeks regarding the audio clips. The court was responding to a plea by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), which sought a court-monitored SIT probe into the chief minister's alleged role in the ethnic violence.
KOHUR's plea, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, alleged that the chief minister "was instrumental in inciting, organising, and thereafter centrally orchestrating the large-scale murder, destruction and other forms of violence against the Kuki-dominated areas in Manipur."
In his final communications as chief minister, Singh urged the central government to maintain "stringent and fool-proof revised mechanism of Free Movement Regime (FMR) with the biometric being stringently applied."
BJP leader Sambit Patra is currently in Manipur, though it remains unclear whether the party will appoint a new chief minister. The state has been grappling with ethnic violence since May 2023, resulting in over 250 casualties and thousands being displaced from their homes.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing of KOHUR's plea for March 24, when the bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar will examine the CFSL report on the controversial audio clips.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.