NEW DELHI — The opposition leaders on Monday termed the resignation of N Biren
Singh as the chief minister of Manipur "too little, too late", and
called it a step taken to avoid a no-confidence motion the Congress was about
to bring in the state assembly.
Several opposition MPs also hoped that Prime Minister
Narendra Modi would visit the strife-torn state soon.
"It's too little too late… People of Manipur, his own
party leaders, and the opposition have been asking for Singh's resignation for
two years, yet violence continued in Manipur," Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha
MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
"Perhaps he got some wisdom after 'Ganga Snan'. But
that too is not the case here… It's because they knew a no-confidence motion
was coming and they feared that their own party MLAs would vote in support of
it, and that is why he was asked to resign. It is sad that it took him so long
(to resign)," she told PTI.
Last Thursday, Singh took a holy dip in the Sangam at the
Maha Kumbh and prayed for peace and prosperity of the nation and Manipur, which
has been in turmoil for over 22 months.
Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra said it is the
end of a "shameful chapter" in the history of Manipur.
"It was shameless bloodlust that made him hold on. The
violence started 648 days ago. He has not resigned because it was the moral
thing to do, he resigned because he did not want to face the humiliation of the
no-confidence motion that was bound to succeed," she told PTI.
"This is the end of a shameful chapter in Manipur's
history. I hope the prime minister, if he finds time from (visiting) France and
America, will make a trip to Manipur," Moitra added.
Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor spoke on similar lines,
saying the resignation was long overdue.
"It was overdue. I have no question in my mind that as
far as Manipur was concerned, we have been asking to send this chief minister
packing for a couple of years now, ever since the violence broke out. His own
complicity and feckless mismanagement of the situation became evident,"
Tharoor told PTI.
"Now that we were going to bring a no-confidence
motion, it was very clear that he didn't have enough support to make him last
even within his own party," he added.
Rajiv Raji of the Samajwadi Party also attacked the Centre
for the action coming "too late".
"I would like to ask the government of India, what were
they waiting for for the last two years when women were raped and paraded
naked? Is the Centre satisfied now after pushing the people into anarchy? A
case should be filed against him (Siren Singh)," he told PTI.
CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas also said the Manipur
chief minister should have resigned long back and called the delay
"unfortunate", while Azad Samaj Party MP Chandra Shekhar Aazad said
Singh should have been punished.
"He should have been punished. If the Centre, the Modi
government had respect for women, Singh would have been sacked long ago.
Manipur kept burning, women were paraded naked... The whole nation saw the
violence, and the government's attitude was callous," Aazad said.
"A chief minister who can't protect women, minorities,
can't stop violence, has no right to be on the chair," he added.
NCP (SP) Rajya Sabha MP Fauzia Khan said the prime minister
should visit Manipur soon to assure the people that the nation stands with
them.
Republican Party of India (Athawale) leader and Union
minister Ramdas Athawale, however, claimed that Singh resigned after taking
responsibility for the situation in Manipur.
"There has been a strife between Meitei and Kuki
communities for the last two years. Many people have died. Now there is peace,
yet some incidents have happened... People from the Myanmar border come there.
Singh resigned after meeting Amit Shah. I think he resigned thinking it was his
responsibility," Athawale said.
Singh tendered his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla
at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Sunday.
More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered
homeless since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023.
