‘Anti-national’, ‘pro-Myanmar’: Manipur govt attacks BJP’s Mizo ally for criticism of Biren Singh

When the Manipur conflict began in May 2023, the MNF was the ruling party, with Zoramthanga as Chief Minister. The Mizos share a deep ethnic bond with the Kukis of Manipur, and the Mizoram government since the MNF time has been vocal in its support to them in their conflict with the Meiteis.

In a long official press statement issued on Thursday night – the day the MNF sought Biren Singh’s removal – the Manipur government accused the MNF of “constant meddling” in Manipur’s internal affairs and said it had employed “a shrill wave of anti-national pro-Myanmar refugee propaganda and anti-Manipur stance” in the Assembly elections in Mizoram last year.

“To refresh public memory, this political party has been consistently revealing its true colours as an anti-national party with its strong opposition to the efforts of the Indian Government to fence its open borders with neighbouring Myanmar for the purpose of curbing illegal immigration, trafficking of arms and drugs, internal security and defence. Myanmar is the origin of most of the illegal immigration and drugs problems that Manipur has been facing… The ongoing crisis in Manipur is a creation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar, whose economy, after illegally settling in the State, driven by cultivation of illicit poppy, had taken a severe hit under Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s War on Drugs,” reads the Manipur government’s statement.

The Manipur government also alleged an agenda to create a “Kuki-Chin nation” as a factor in the ongoing conflict in the state. “We must be wary of the greater agenda of carving a Kuki-Chin nation out of (the) contiguous areas of Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, played out over decades of meticulous planning, through illegal immigration, land grabbing, displacement of original indigenous peoples, formation of Kuki-Chin dominated districts, establishment of Autonomous District Councils, upgradation of such Councils to Scheduled Areas, amalgamation of Kuki-Chin areas and finally Nationhood. The Government of Manipur will not allow fragmentation of North East India at the behest of foreign vested interests either in Manipur or in its neighbourhood. Any individual, group or organization working with such intent shall be met with the strong hands of the law,” reads the statement.

The Manipur government’s response invoking the Myanmar angle enters sensitive territory as Mizoram has thrown open its doors to refugees from the country as they share the same larger Kuki-Zo ethnic identity as people on this side of the border. In this too, the MNF’s stand is no different from the ruling ZPM’s.

The Centre’s resolve to fence the porous Indo-Myanmar border has hence been opposed by both the MNF and the ZPM government, as well as by the Nagaland government, led by another member of the NEDA, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party.

Earlier, CM Biren Singh had reacted sharply to speeches made during a US trip in September by Lalduhoma speaking about Zo unity and “the aspiration of integration of the Zo people” across territories. “No one can touch Manipur’s integrity,” Biren Singh had said.

In its statement, the MNF sought Biren Singh’s removal saying that “suffering inflicted on Zofate brethren (referring to the Kuki-Zomi community)… has reached intolerable levels”. Biren Singh’s “inaction and misuse of power have only worsened the situation, making his continuation in office both untenable and shameful”, the MNF said.

Before that, MNF Rajya Sabha MP K Vanlalvena sought Biren Singh’s removal as well as President’s Rule in Manipur.

Besides, Mizoram CM Lalduhoma stated in an interview recently to The Hindustan Times that President’s Rule was preferable to the current state government in Manipur.

The Manipur government statement on Thursday, however, only referred to the MNF’s remarks.

In the statement, the Manipur government also claimed that the Biren Singh government’s ‘War on Drugs’ had led to a drop in drug trafficking in Manipur, adding: “Mizoram has now emerged as the favoured route for international transit of illegal arms, ammunition and drugs between India and Myanmar.”

The statement added: “The MNF should focus on the looming threat on Mizo society from the drugs trade instead of passing unwarranted comments on legally justified acts of the Government of Manipur to combat drugs trafficking. If requested by the MNF, the Government of Manipur will extend all assistance to the efforts of the State of Mizoram towards curbing drugs.”

The Mizoram government has not responded so far to the Manipur government’s charges, including to queries sent by The Indian Express.