On 19 November 2024, Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh responded sharply to Congress leader P Chidambaram’s criticism, which blamed him for the ongoing crisis in the northeastern state. Singh accused Chidambaram of being the “root cause” of the situation in Manipur.
In a post on X that was later deleted, Chidambaram had stated, “Sending 5,000 more central armed police jawans is not the solution to the Manipur crisis. The real answer is acknowledging that Mr. Biren Singh, the chief minister, is the cause of the crisis and removing him immediately.”
Chidambaram criticized the central government’s approach, arguing that a true resolution would require greater wisdom and statesmanship. He suggested that the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities could only coexist in the state if they were granted genuine regional autonomy. Chidambaram also called on Prime Minister Modi to abandon his stubbornness, visit Manipur, and engage directly with its people to understand their grievances.
In response, Chief Minister Singh expressed surprise at Chidambaram’s comments and blamed Congress for Manipur’s ongoing problems. He claimed that the current issues stemmed from the “ignorance” of central leaders during the Congress government’s tenure. “P. Chidambaram is the root cause of the present crisis,” Singh stated.
Singh further alleged that during Chidambaram’s tenure as Home Minister, the Congress government had facilitated the entry of a Myanmarese foreigner, Thanglianpau Guite, who was linked to the banned Zomi Re-Unification Army in Myanmar. Singh presented a photograph of Chidambaram meeting Guite, accusing the Congress of neglecting the North East and its indigenous people.
Singh also tied the crisis to the influx of illegal migrants, claiming that migrants from Myanmar were attempting to dominate Manipur’s indigenous population and the wider North East. He stated, “The present crisis is the result of illegal migrants from Myanmar, and all the problems in Manipur were created by Congress. They cannot wash their hands of it so easily.”
Meanwhile, the central government has decided to deploy an additional 5,000 paramilitary troops to Manipur to address the escalating violence. The unrest continues, with violent protests and attacks on both BJP and Congress offices in the hill district of Jiribam. Tensions also led to the burning of residences of BJP and Congress legislators in the Imphal Valley. An indefinite curfew remains in place across several districts, as the situation worsens.
Manipur Congress Condemns Chidambaram’s Irresponsible Post, Seeks Intervention from INC Leadership
The Congress party’s attempt to use the ongoing Manipur crisis to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi backfired, with even members of the party itself taking issue with senior leader P. Chidambaram’s comments. A letter signed by ten senior Congress leaders from Manipur, including current MLAs, former ministers, and former state Congress presidents, called on party president Mallikarjun Kharge to take immediate action against Chidambaram and demand the deletion of his controversial post.
The letter expressed unanimous disapproval of Chidambaram’s post, which had aligned partially with the demand of Kuki-Zo groups for separate autonomy in the region. The leaders condemned the tone and content of the post, describing it as inappropriate given the sensitive and volatile situation in Manipur. “In the meeting, we unanimously condemned the content of Shri P. Chidambaram’s recent post on X concerning the Manipur crisis. The post contains language and sentiments that are highly inappropriate during this hour of heightened tension, public grief, and public sensitivity in Manipur. The Congress party always stands for the unity and territorial integrity of the state of Manipur. We request AICC for prompt appropriate action against Shri P Chidambaram for his post today and direct him to delete it immediately,” the letter stated.
The letter added to a growing wave of discontent within the state unit, with Manipur Congress Chief K. Meghachandra publicly urging Chidambaram to delete the post. “Please delete it. Manipur is in turmoil. The situation is very sensitive,” Meghachandra wrote in a comment under the post before it was deleted.
Further distancing the state unit from Chidambaram’s remarks, former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh clarified that the comments were Chidambaram’s personal views and not reflective of the party’s stance.
Singh revealed to the media that once the tweet was noticed, he immediately informed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. “This is purely his (Chidambaram’s) own view. As soon as we saw his tweet, we informed Mallikarjun Kharge ji, and he immediately called all senior leaders. I also personally spoke to Kharge ji and told him this may cause a lot of misunderstanding in Manipur… Kharge ji spoke to him, and the tweet was deleted right away,” Singh said.
He also assured that the AICC would take appropriate action, and he would personally speak to Chidambaram to prevent such statements in the future. “We have already informed AICC for appropriate action, and I will speak to him not to make such statements about Manipur,” Singh added.
(With inputs from Business Today & Indian Express)
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