- IMPHAL — Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, who held meetings with
Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, on Wednesday said that the Centre,
like the people, wants installation of a popular government in the restive
state.
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- Manipur is currently under President’s Rule after the
resignation of Singh as the chief minister in February.
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- Singh, along with Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, had
gone to New Delhi on Monday to brief central leaders about the current
situation in the state where ethnic violence left at least 260 people dead and
rendered thousands homeless since May 2023.
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- "We met Shah on the night of June 9. We held a
meeting for over an hour again the next day. I apprised the home minister on
various issues including bandhs, internally displaced persons and restriction
on free movement along highways,” Singh said.
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- He was speaking to reporters at the Imphal airport on his
return from the national capital.
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- "I also apprised him (Shah) of the people's desire
for a popular government in the state. Shah said the central government also
wants the same and will soon consider it after examining the situation,"
the former CM said.
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- The process of convening a meeting of representatives of
various communities is underway, he said.
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- The Centre had on April 5 held a meeting with
representatives of the warring Meitei and Kuki communities in an effort to
bring a lasting peace in the state.
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- To a query on illegal immigrants, Singh said, "I
handed over a memorandum to Shah and urged him to extend the 30-day period
given by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for identification of illegal
immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh."
