Former: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh | Photo: PTI
Guwahati: The President’s Rule is imposed at last in the trouble torn Manipur instead of ethnic violence rather for political instability among the ruling BJP and NDA leadership.
With no consensus on a successor for N Biren Singh, on the fourth day after Singh’s resignation as Manipur’s Chief Minister, the state has been placed under President’s Rule, deepening the ongoing political uncertainty.
As per Article 174(1) of the Constitution, state Assemblies must convene within six months of their last sitting. In Manipur, the previous Assembly session took place on August 12, 2024, setting Wednesday as the deadline for the next session. However, Governor Ajay Bhalla canceled the Budget session scheduled for Monday, citing the resignation of Chief Minister Biren Singh a day earlier.
Singh’s resignation came on the eve of a no-confidence motion and an anticipated floor test, effectively preempting a political showdown in the Assembly. His decision to step down follows nearly two years of ethnic unrest that began on May 3, 2023, and sustained opposition demands for his removal.
Since May 3, 2023 ethnic violence in between majority Meitei community in the valley and Kuki-Zo hills tribes more than 250 people have been killed in the violence and 60,000 people have been displaced where more than 4800 houses vandalised and another around 400 religious temples and churches structures vandalised. This issue not only rocked the Parliament but also became a global issue. But at that time even PR was not imposed.
Reacting to Singh’s exit, the Congress alleged on Monday that his resignation was aimed at safeguarding the BJP rather than addressing the needs of Manipur’s people, who continue to grapple with prolonged ethnic violence. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi called Singh’s departure “long overdue,” while Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi accused the BJP of lacking a concrete roadmap to restore peace in the conflict-ridden state.
The political turmoil intensified days after the Supreme Court sought a sealed-cover forensic report on the authenticity of leaked audio tapes allegedly implicating Singh in the ethnic clashes. The tapes reportedly contain conversations suggesting that Meitei groups were permitted to loot arms and ammunition from government facilities during the violence against the Kuki community.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cited the Supreme Court’s probe as a key factor in Singh’s resignation. “The mounting public pressure, the Supreme Court’s investigation, and the no-confidence motion by Congress have compelled this reckoning,” Gandhi stated.
