Opposition seeks President’s Rule in Manipur over seized ‘Chinese rifles’

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Sunday (July 2) alleged that the rifles recovered in Manipur were made in China. He demanded that CM Biren Singh resign and President’s Rule be imposed in the strife-hit state.

#WATCH | The rifles that have been caught there (in Manipur) are made in China. Rahul Gandhi went there and appealed for peace. CM should be removed immediately and the president's rule should be imposed: Congress MP Pramod Tiwari pic.twitter.com/ETlIPgh9QF

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2023

Sanjay Raut from the Shiv Sena (UBT), too, expressed his view that China is involved in the Manipur violence. He questioned the actions taken against China in response to their alleged involvement.

Raut further insisted that the Chief Minister of Manipur should resign, and President’s Rule should be imposed in the state.

Also Read: Manipur violence | Wanted to resign as I was hurt, thought lost people’s trust: CM Biren Singh

On Saturday (July 1), Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh claimed while he couldn’t confirm or rule out international involvement in the ongoing ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in the state, the situation appeared to be pre-planned.

Manipur shares its borders with Myanmar and is located in close proximity to China. The state has a 398-km-long border that is porous and unguarded, said Singh.

Although Indian security forces are present, it is practically impossible for them to monitor every inch of the border. Therefore, it is not possible to confirm or deny any international involvement in the ongoing violence, claimed Singh.

Also Read: High drama in Manipur as hundreds of women ‘stop’ CM Biren Singh from resigning

In an interview with news agency ANI, Singh had said he considered resigning from his position due to concerns about losing public trust. However, the overwhelming show of support convinced him otherwise.

Since May 3, Manipur has been grappling with ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities, stemming from controversy surrounding the potential inclusion of the former in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.

More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between the two communities in the northeastern state so far. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals — Nagas and Kukis — constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

(With agency inputs)