Biren Singh blames 'past sins' of Congress for turmoil in Manipur; attacks former PMs

On Tuesday (December 31), Singh blasted the Congress saying their past sins like the repeated settlement of Burmese refugees in Manipur and the signing of the SoO Agreement with Myanmar-based militants in the state, spearheaded by P Chidambaran, the then home minister of India, had led to the conflicts in the state.

Singh was hitting back at the Congress after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn't visit Manipur and "apologise" to the people for the tensions.

Earlier, nineteen months after ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, chief minister N Biren Singh had finally offered apublic apology for the bloodshed and hoped that 2025 will herald in peace.

"I want to say sorry for what happened in the state. Many people lost their loved ones and many had to leave their homes. I regret and want to apologise,”

Also read: Manipur needs peace, mutual understanding between communities: CM

Congress on PM Modi

This prompted Jairam Ramesh to write a post asking why the Prime Minister isn’t going to Manipur and saying the same thing there?

“He has deliberately avoided visiting the state since May 4, 2023, even as he jets around the country and the world. The people of Manipur simply cannot understand this neglect," he had said.  Singh had until now refused to take responsibility for the unending ethnic violence in Manipur.

Manipur CM hits out at Congress

Reacting to Jairam Ramesh's post, Biren Singh lashed out accusing the Congress for creating the turmoil in the state today. Further, Biren Singh said his apology was a sincere expression of grief for the displaced people and urged people to forgive.

“The apology I extended today was a sincere act of expressing my grief for the people who have been left displaced and become homeless. As a Chief Minister, it was an appeal to forgive and forget what had happened. However, you brought politics into it,” said Singh.

According to the CM, the Naga-Kuki clashes in Manipur resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,300 people and the displacement of thousands more. He also pointed out that the violence which persisted for several years, had periodic escalations occurring between 1992 and 1997, though the most intense period of conflict was in 1992–1993.

“The clashes began in 1992 and continued at varying intensities for around five years (1992–1997). This period marked one of the bloodiest ethnic conflicts in northeast India, deeply affecting relations between the Naga and Kuki communities in Manipur,” the chief minister added.

Also read: Manipur crisis solution will take time due to fragile situation: CM Biren Singh

Did Congress PMs apologise?

Biren Singh then went on to ask whether former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao and IK Gujral at that time had visited Manipur to apologise for past conflicts? He accused the Congress of "politicising" the issue instead of focusing on solutions.

He wanted to know if PV Narasimha Rao, who served as the Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1996 and was the President of the Indian National Congress during this time, go to Manipur to offer an apology?

”The Kuki-Paite clashes claimed 350 lives in the state. During most of the Kuki-Paite clashes (1997–1998), Shri IK Gujral was the Prime Minister of India. Did he visit Manipur and say sorry to the people?" he asked. And, said in his post on X, instead of putting efforts to solve the core issues in Manipur, why is the Congress playing politics over it all the time?” 

Since May 2023, the ethnic violence in Manipur involving Imphal Valley-based Meities and adjoining hills based Kuki-Zo groups has claimed more than 250 lives and thousands have been rendered homeless.