IMPHAL, Nov 17 : Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urgently intervene in the escalating crisis in Manipur. During a press conference today, he condemned both the state and central governments for what he described as a complete collapse of constitutional governance, pointing to unprecedented violence and a deteriorating law-and-order situation.
He called upon Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to urgently seek a meeting with Prime Minister Modi. “For months, we have been asking for an opportunity to present the situation in Manipur. If our requests are still ignored, we will have no option but to take decisive action. If the voices of both ruling and opposition MLAs are disregarded, what is the purpose of being in the Assembly?” Ibobi queried.
Ibobi Singh stated that the Congress legislators and parliamentarians are prepared to resign if it helps resolve the ethnic conflict, but asserted that there is currently no justification for such action. “It is the responsibility of the Central and state governments to restore peace and normalcy in the state by involving all communities, civil society organizations, political parties, and all stakeholders,” he told reporters.
Highlighting the complete collapse of the constitutional machinery in Manipur, he added that the sentiment among the populace does not favor the imposition of President’s Rule. Regarding calls for the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Ibobi Singh noted that this is an internal matter for the ruling BJP.
Simultaneously, 13 civil society organizations from the Meitei community have demanded the resignation of all 50 MLAs in Manipur, including Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, citing a perceived lack of political will and warning of possible public unrest.
Congress Lok Sabha member Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, also present at the media briefing, remarked that the recent election results indicated a mandate against the current government and the ruling BJP. He stressed that it is the central and state governments’ duty to resolve the crisis promptly. “We are raising the Manipur crisis both in and out of Parliament. No other leaders have brought the issue to Parliament as elaborately as we have,” said Bimol Akoijam.
Criticizing the ruling party, Bimol Akoijam accused the BJP and its leaders of creating distractions with differing issues without fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities. He also condemned the recent reimposition of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in six police stations across five districts, asserting that the people of the northeast have significant experience with the legislation.
Bimol pointed out that Manipur is the only state where the central government enforces AFSPA in certain regions while the state government applies the law in others, leading to an erosion of the state’s federal structure. He recalled the tragic Oting incident in Nagaland, where 14 civilians were killed by security forces in December 2021 due to mistaken identity.
“The massacre of people in Nagaland’s Oting is still very much alive in our memory,” the MP said, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated efforts among security forces despite the existence of a Unified Command Structure in Manipur. He called for all political leaders to unite in raising their voices against the violence that continues to destabilize the region.
