A day after the Manipur government urged Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma to demonstrate “better statesmanship” and be a “good neighbour” instead of inciting hatred through “unwarranted comments,” Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday issued a firm rebuttal, stating that Manipur’s history and identity are distinct from Mizoram’s.
In his address at a function marking the construction of infrastructure to relocate Assam Rifles from the Langthabal Old Palace premises, Singh asserted, “Manipur is not like Mizoram. We have a written history of 2,000 years. Manipur merged with the Union of India as a single entity in 1949. Our boundaries were not newly created but we joined with the Union with intact boundaries.” The comments were made in response to recent remarks by Mizoram CM Lalduhoma, who had criticized Singh’s leadership in a national interview.
Singh emphasized that the tensions and violence in Manipur since May 3 last year were not a result of corruption but rather the state government’s efforts to safeguard its indigenous people and address historical grievances. He pointed out, “Naturally, those who once thrived on the drug trade will be upset with the government and against me.” Singh also made it clear that his government’s policies, including plans to identify illegal immigrants, cancel the Free Movement Regime, and implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC), are aimed at protecting Manipur’s land and its people.
Referring to the Assam Rifles’ role in the region, Singh remarked, “Assam Rifles is here to serve the nation. They are not our enemies. We all are Indian citizens. The gap can be bridged through interactions between commanders, CSOs, and intellectuals. Our common enemy is located in foreign territories, not within. The paramilitary force can deal with insurgents or unlawful activities as they see fit, but not everyone is an insurgent.”
Responding to public criticism of his role during the ongoing crisis, Singh remarked, “People ask, ‘What is the Chief Minister doing?’ Can the CM go and engage in firing? The CM makes policy plans – how to identify illegal immigrants, how to cancel the Free Movement Regime, and how to implement the NRC. We will never rest until we have clearly safeguarded the entire land of Manipur and its indigenous people.”