Resignation letter torn, Manipur CM Biren says not stepping down

As word spread, hundreds of women blocked the road near Nupi Lal memorial complex, just over 100 metres from the CM’s official residence. As a result, security measures were increased around the bungalow and along the road leading to Raj Bhavan.

“All the mothers of Manipur are gathering here because they are not happy with the CM’s decision. As a son of the soil, he should take responsibility and protect the people. If he resigns, President’s Rule will be inevitable, which is not acceptable,” said Sarojini Leima, one of the women.

Around 2.20 pm, Singh along with a delegation of around 20 MLAs moved out of his residence to head towards Raj Bhavan, but they were met with the crowds outside, and had to head back. After some time, a few ministers, led by PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam, came out to address the gathering and were met by chants of “We want Biren”.

The purported resignation letter torn by the women gathered outside the CM’s residence.

Using a loudspeaker, Minister L Susindro Metitei read out the resignation letter which was supposed to be submitted to the Governor. After this, the piece of paper was handed over to some of the women, who tore it.

“After we came back to the CM’s residence, we requested him to reconsider the resignation, given the people’s will. After convincing him, a few ministers went outside to tell the people that he had agreed not to resign,” said government spokesperson and minister Sapam Ranjan Singh.

After this, the crowd outside the CM’s residence began to disperse and he took to Twitter to state, “At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister.”

The events of Friday came a day after the state again saw violence, which interrupted around 15 days of relative calm. The reason was the death of two people from the Meitei community amidst firing in Kangpokpi district. Tensions escalated after one of the bodies was taken to Khwairamband women’s market in the heart of the city, and hundreds of people, especially women, gathered there, chanting slogans against the Biren Singh government for its inability to prevent violence. Clashes between the protesters and security forces followed, with the forces using tear gas to disperse the mob and the protesters retaliating with stones and use of catapults.

At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister.

— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) June 30, 2023

Sapam, the government spokesperson, said Singh had taken the decision to resign after these events.

“The Chief Minister felt very sad about what had happened yesterday. He had felt that the trust of the people was lost,” he said.

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Another close aide said, “He (CM) was feeling very emotional after yesterday’s incident, especially after the calls for his resignation. There was a lot of slogan shouting that we had heard about. He felt that if he had lost the faith of the people, then there was no point in continuing.”

Speculation regarding his resignation had started with a report on Friday in Imphal-based daily The Sangai Express, which stated that he was expected to hand over his resignation to the Governor that day. The report cited sources saying he had been asked to put in his papers by the Central government.

Sources in the BJP, however, denied reports that Singh had been asked to quit. “There is no such thing. There was some tension among the MLAs and such reports and rumours are part of it. It (the issue among MLAs) is getting resolved,” said a source involved with the political process in Manipur.

There has been mounting pressure on Singh, even from party colleagues from the Meitei community. Last week, nine Meitei MLAs – eight from the BJP and an Independent supporting the Manipur government – had submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office, highlighting that the “public have lost complete faith in the present state government”. Nishikant Singh Sapam, the owner of The Sangai Express was one of them.

After submitting the memorandum, Sapam had clarified to The Indian Express that the action “looked very separate but it shouldn’t because we all want the welfare of Manipur”.