Chief Minister N. Biren Singh acknowledged that the state and central governments had failed to live up to the “expectations” of the people of Manipur, which he said was reflected in the BJP’s defeat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. He accepted responsibility for the loss (both seats were won by the Indian National Congress) and said in an interview with The Indian Express that it was time for him to work with “more conviction.”
This was the first election Singh and the BJP have faced since ethnic violence erupted in the state a year ago in May 2023. The Inner Manipur constituency was won by Angumcha Bimol Akoijam, a professor at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University and the Indian National Congress’s, who defeated a BJP rival. The reserved seat in Outer Manipur was won by the Indian National Congress’s Alfred Kangam Arthur, who defeated a rival from the Naga People’s Front, an ally of the BJP.
Asked if he viewed the result as a verdict against him, Singh said: “Why not? As the Chief Minister, I have to take full responsibility.”
He acknowledged that people living in the valleys and mountain areas of Manipur are upset that the state and central governments are not living up to the “expectations of the people” regarding law and order.
“Last year, due to the complexity of the violence, neither the state nor the central government could take strong action against both the groups. Due to this, the people of the valley are unhappy with both the governments (state and central). Law and order is a state issue and despite central forces playing a key role here, we have not been able to live up to the expectations of the people. This is why we have lost in the valley. Similar sentiments exist in the countryside as well. But solving problems in Manipur is complex and many people do not understand the underlying issues. Identifying and addressing these underlying issues is the key to resolving the violence,” he said.
Singh said that now that the Lok Sabha elections are over, he hopes that the central leadership will intervene to resolve Manipur’s problems once a government is formed.
Asked how he would like the central government to intervene, he said, “There has to be a change in the way things work. The central forces (here in Manipur) must actively support the state government’s efforts and help convince the indigenous people that the (state) government is not working against them but is targeting the tribal people who came after 1961.”
Singh has taken responsibility for the defeat in the Lok Sabha elections but is adamant about staying on as chief minister. Asked if he plans to step down, he said: “No. There are those who are trying to destroy me and the state. My job is to punish them legally. My team is aware of the challenges facing the indigenous people of Manipur, including the Nagas. It is time to act with more conviction…If I step down, the path for them is clear. Why should we succumb to our enemies?”
Asked if he would see any change in the central government’s response to the situation in Manipur given the increased importance of allies in the current NDA government set-up, he said, “I don’t see any change. The (state) government’s actions like identifying illegal immigrants and deporting them are in line with constitutional provisions. You have heard their speeches in Parliament, (Chandrababu) Naidu and Nitish Kumar have shown their strong support for Modi. They have complete trust in Modi and that has strengthened the NDA. There will be no divisions or differences.”
© Indian Express Ltd.
First uploaded: September 6, 2024, 4:27 AM
