Manipur CM Biren Singh caps 2024 with an apology: ‘I feel regret and I want to say sorry to the people of the state’

“Many people lost their loved ones. Many people left their homes. I really feel regret. I would like to apologise to all the victims. But now, I hope, after seeing the last three-four months’ progress towards peace, I hope with the coming of the new year, 2025, normalcy and peace will be restored in the state,” he said.

“And I want to appeal to all the communities in the state — whatever happened has happened. We have to forgive and forget the past mistakes and we have to start a new life, a peaceful Manipur, a prosperous Manipur. Living with all recognised 34-35 tribes together, and we should live together in future too,” he said.

Singh’s comments come a little over a month after Manipur witnessed one of its worst incidents of violence, and the biggest challenge yet to his leadership.

In a span of 11 days starting November 7, 22 people were killed in different episodes in the state with the most violent being a November 11 attack on a relief camp in Jiribam in which eight Meitei residents were abducted and killed, and 10 assailants gunned down by security forces.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh addresses a press conference in Imphal on Tuesday. (PTI)

In massive protests that followed, the homes of many ministers and MLAs in Imphal were attacked, including the CM’s residence. NDA partner National People’s Party withdrew its support to his government in the aftermath, and the dissent within the BJP’s own ranks among the MLAs also came to the surface.

On Tuesday, when asked about his “plan” for resolving the issues tied to the conflict, Singh said, “How to resolve conflict is dialogue. We should leave violence. We should not target each other. Whatever the grievances are, we have to sort it out through discussion and dialogue. The central government has already initiated and the state government has also initiated (dialogue) through various levels to bring peace to the state. And I hope that with the support of the people, peace will be restored.”

Soon after Biren’s comments, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “For 19 months, the Chief Minister did not say anything… But the question is not what the Chief Minister said today. The question is why did the Prime Minister not break his silence on Manipur for 19 months? Why did he not go to Manipur? Why didn’t he meet with the MLAs there? Why didn’t he meet the political parties there? Why didn’t he meet the people there? The Chief Minister can say anything, he is just a puppet. The real failure in Manipur is the Prime Minister’s.”

At the press conference, the CM shared that the violence claimed over 200 lives. He said over 12,000 FIRs had been registered, more than 600 accused arrested, and 5,600 weapons and explosives recovered along with 35,000 rounds of ammo.

He said 2,058 displaced families had been resettled in their original homes, including areas in Imphal West, Imphal East, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur. To curb violence along the national highways of Manipur, the state has deployed 17-18 additional companies of security personnel along NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) and NH-37 (Imphal-Silchar via Jiribam), he said.

He also announced that to address high airfares impacting travellers from Manipur, the state government will launch Alliance Air services at an affordable rate not exceeding Rs 5,000. If airfares exceed that amount, the state will provide subsidies, said Singh.

The air service will operate on the Imphal-Guwahati, Imphal-Kolkata, and Imphal-Dimapur routes twice a week.

To address the issue of “illegal influx” of people into the state, an Aadhaar-linked birth registration would be introduced starting January 2025, the CM said. In the first phase, this initiative will be implemented in three districts. Birth registration will be made mandatory, and updates will be required every five years, he said.

“This initiative was taken after discovering a 420% population increase in the electoral roll in some districts of Manipur,” he said.