Kumar Bahukhandi
N Biren Singh – Photo: ANI (File)
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned from the post of Chief Minister on Sunday evening. He has submitted his resignation to the Governor. Chief Minister Biren Singh had apologized to the public for the ethnic violence in the state at the end of last year. He had said that this whole year was very bad. I apologize to the people of the state for whatever has happened from May 3 last year till today. Many people lost their loved ones. Many people left their homes. I am saddened by this. Seeing the state of peace in the last three-four months, I hope that normalcy will be restored in the state in 2025.
Ethnic violence has been going on in the state since May 2023, in which more than 200 people have been killed and thousands displaced so far. In November, there was also a ruckus after the killing of three women and their three children in Jiribam, Manipur. N Biren Singh was under heavy pressure due to the ongoing violence in the state and the demand for his removal from the post was gaining momentum. NDA ally NPP also withdrew its support from the Manipur government and demanded a change in leadership.
How the violence started
Violence between the Meitei community and the Kuki community in Manipur started on May 3 last year when the Adivasi Students Union (ATSUM) organized a rally against the order of the Manipur High Court, which directed to consider including the Manipuri community in the Scheduled Tribe list. Since then, the series of violence has continued in the state, and the central government had to deploy paramilitary forces to bring the situation under control.
