Opp calls for all-party delegation to Manipur, Govt committed to resolving issue, says Shah

Some of the parties, including the Congress, demanded removal of N Biren Singh as Chief Minister for his “failure” to handle the law and order situation. Some of the leaders alleged that he had been functioning in a “partisan” manner.

The Chief Minister was not present at the meeting.

Many of those at the all-party meeting called by Shah – the first such since violence broke out on May 3 – also asked the government to fix a time-frame for the plans it had to restore peace and normalcy in the state. Shah told the leaders that the government will consider their suggestions with an “open mind”.

He said Prime Minister Modi had been “constantly monitoring” the situation “since day one”, and had been guiding “us with full sensitivity to find a solution to this problem”. The government, he said, is committed to solve the Manipur problem by “taking everyone together” and its priority is to ensure that no more lives are lost due to the violence.

Speaking to reporters later, BJP Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra said Shah told the meeting that since the violence began in the state, there has “not been a single day” when he did not speak to Modi on the situation or the PM did not give instructions. “Efforts to restore peace in the state are being taken on the instructions of the PM,” he said.

The Congress, represented by former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, said that all militant groups should be disarmed immediately. Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’ Brien said that apart from the state government, the Centre, too, had “failed miserably”. While Samajwadi Party’s Ram Gopal Yadav demanded imposition of President’s rule in the state, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva called for setting up of a truth and reconciliation commission as demanded by various women’s groups from the state.

Apart from the Congress, the RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha and the CPI(M)’s John Brittas are said to have demanded the removal of Biren Singh. Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi and DMK’s Siva said he should be held accountable. The common refrain was that he had acted in a “partisan manner”.

BJP president J P Nadda said all possible steps are being taken by the government for a speedy solution. The Manipur issue, he is learnt to have said, needs to be handled with sensitivity. It is rooted in many “old factors”, which have also led to the flare-up of the present violence, he said.

Ibobi Singh, who was the Manipur chief minister for 15 years, from 2002 to 2017, later told a press conference that he was not given adequate time to make his points and had to wrap up his speech in 5-7 minutes. His request for permission to speak at the end, too, was turned down. Singh said Shah told him that he could meet him separately for a lengthy discussion.

Sources said Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla gave a detailed presentation on the steps taken by the government so far, including Shah’s visit to Manipur, and the committees set up. These include a 51-member peace committee and a Commission of Inquiry, headed by former Gauhati High Court chief justice Ajai Lamba, to probe the violence. The leaders were told that Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai was stationed in the state for about 20 days.

Apprising the leaders of the measures taken by the government, Shah told them that the situation is slowly returning to normal. He said not a single person has died in violence since the night of June 13. So far, 1,800 looted weapons have been surrendered. While 36,000 security personnel are deployed on the ground, 40 IPS officers and 20 medical teams have been sent. Supply of all essential items, including medicines, is being ensured, Shah said.

Coming a day after the Opposition conclave in Patna, the meeting saw some coordination among the opposition parties. Sources said after the LJP was given the floor to speak first, followed by the CMs of Meghalaya and Sikkim (their parties are part of the NDA), O’Brien said the Congress, as the main opposition party in Manipur, should have been allowed to speak first. The Congress later released an eight-point charter of demands – some of which were raised by Ibobi Singh at the meeting, it is learnt.

“The state government has failed miserably in providing effective governance when it has been needed most. The Chief Minister himself has admitted publicly twice his failure to handle the situation and deal with the crisis. He has also asked for forgiveness of the people,” the Congress said. “On March 11, 2023, he unilaterally withdrew the state government’s commitment to the tripartite Agreement on Suspension of Operations with certain militant groups claiming to be upholders of Kuki interests. This move of his was later rejected by the Union Home Ministry, but by then enough damage had been done. This is one glaring example in a series of blunders. The Chief Minister should be replaced immediately.”

“This all-party meeting would have been better if it had been chaired by the PM and had been held in Imphal. This would have sent a clear message to the people of Manipur that their pain and distress is also a matter of national anguish,” the Congress said.

The party also spoke of the need to ensure no compromise with the unity and territorial integrity of Manipur in any manner, and a hearing to and redressal of the grievances of every community. It also demanded measures to ensure availability of essential commodities, apart from a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package.

Eighteen political parties, including the BJP, and four MPs from Northeast and the Chief Ministers of Sikkim and Meghalaya attended the meeting.

Addressing the press conference along with Ibobi Singh, Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh said, “In a meeting of three hours, Singh was given 7 minutes. If anybody knows Manipur it is Ibobi Singh. He was the Chief Minister for 15 years… such a treatment is insulting.” He said the meeting was just a formality aimed at headline grabbing.

Alleging that the Centre has failed miserably, the Trinamool Congress in a statement asked whether the “Union Government is trying to turn Manipur to Kashmir?” It alleged that there was a complete collapse of the constitutional machinery in the state.