IMPHAL — In a significant development, the World Meetei Council (WMC) on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to replace the present Manipur government to restore normalcy and peace in Manipur.
The WMC, a leading body of the majority Meetei (Meitei) community, in their letter to the Prime Minister, demanded the replacement of the incumbent Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who according to the council, has shown an inability to restore normalcy even after 17 months.
The council said that the presence of the Indian Army and central forces, which number around 60,000, seems ineffective as they keep watching while Kuki militants, who are under a Suspension of Operation agreement with the government, assault Meetei inhabited villages.
“This undermines the reputation of the Indian Army not only in Manipur but globally, harming our national interest.”
The prominent Meetei body said that the people of Manipur are in a state of utter confusion and distress due to the prevailing circumstances and neither the Minister nor anyone else has taken responsibility for the chaos that has plagued the state since May last year.
“Unfortunately, the ongoing violence appears to be tacitly permitted by the central government for reasons that are evident to those who can think critically.
We recognise that central agencies possess the knowledge to understand the causes of this unrest and have the capacity to address it,” the WMC told the Prime Minister in its letter signed by WMC Chairman Heigrujam Nabashyam.
It said that the people of Manipur have suffered immensely due to the abject inefficiency of the incumbent Chief Minister. “People have become refugees in their own homeland. Do they not deserve a government that is accountable and responsible.”
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's estimated population of about 36.49 lakhs and live mostly in the six Imphal Valley districts, while tribals, which include Naga, and Kuki-Zo, constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the 10 hill districts.
The WMC’s letter was written to the Prime Minister weeks after the media report that around 19 BJP MLAs have urged the Central leadership to seek the replacement of Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
The media report quoting the 19 MLAs’ demand said that the letter had stated that “at this juncture, the people of Manipur are raising questions to us, in particular, the BJP-led government, as to why peace and normalcy cannot be restored, and plight of people could not be alleviated yet.”
Manipur Power, Forest and Environment, Agriculture Minister, Thongam Biswajit Singh has, however, denied the speculation that there would be a leadership change in Manipur.
The Minister, third in command in the 12-member council of ministers headed by the Chief Minister, stated that he had no knowledge of any such letter or demand and chose not to comment further.
“I have no information about any leadership transition or the two-page memorandum that has been mentioned in the media. I cannot confirm the validity of the letter, as I lack the expertise to do so,” Biswajit Singh told the media.
Over 230 people have been killed and over a thousand injured in the 17-month-long ethnic strife in Manipur.
As many as 11,133 houses have been set on fire, out of which 4,569 houses have been completely destroyed. A total of 11,892 cases have been registered in different police stations in connection with the ethnic violence.
The state government has established 302 relief camps to provide shelter to 59,414 internally displaced persons.