Manipur Violence: CM Biren Singh holds all-party meeting

22 Jan 2024 Evaluate

Manipur Chief Minister (CM) N Biren Singh has chaired a meeting with representatives of 10 political parties to address the ongoing crisis in the northeastern state. Representatives of the Congress, Janata Dal(U), CPI, CPI (M), All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Forward Bloc, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (UBT) and Revolutionary Socialist Party were among those who participated in the meeting at the CM secretariat on Sunday.

CM N Biren Singh said that all parties reflected a united commitment to navigate challenges and will work collectively for the well-being of the state. He also said ‘constructive discussions’ were held during the meeting. The political parties submitted a memorandum to CM and also asked him to arrange an appointment with the Prime Minister and his intervention to end the more-than-8-month-long crisis.

Congress Legislative Party leader Okram Ibobi said protecting the lives and properties of the people is the duty of the state government and the state has the right to ask the Centre for manpower and tools required for that. Manipur CM also held a meeting on Sunday with the state ministers and MLAs of the ruling alliance. However, five MLAs, including Wangjing Tentha legislator Paonam Brojen and Uripok MLA Kh Raghumani, were absent from the meeting.

Manipur has been rocked by ethnic violence since May last year and over 180 people were killed. The violence erupted on May 3 after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.