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Manipur CM N Biren Singh said the state government was doing its best to bring back normalcy to the state. (Image: PTI/File)
Manipur CM N Biren Singh said the state government was reaching out to the Kuki community and trying to convince them to “forget the past and stay together”
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said the state government was reaching out to the Kuki community and trying to convince them to “forget the past and stay together”. He also alleged that there could be an international conspiracy behind the ethnic violence in the state and “outside forces” had created the unrest that has prevailed for two months now.
In an exclusive interview to News18, the chief minister said the state government had not given any reply to the high court over including Meiteis in the scheduled tribes (ST) category. He said the state government was doing its best, under the guidance of union home minister Amit Shah, to bring back normalcy to the state and also spoke about why he initially decided to resign from the post of CM but took back that decision on Friday.
Under fire over his handling of the ethnic clashes, he was contemplating resigning, especially after renewed violence on June 29 left three more dead and five injured. But amid high-voltage drama in Imphal, he was persuaded by his supporters, mostly women demonstrators, to decide against it.
Excerpts from the interview:
What happened, why did you want to resign?
We have done our best in these last two months with the guidance of Amit Shah ji. This is a serious problem and it is very sad. In the last six years, Manipur was becoming the fastest developing state in the northeast. We have been trying to bring back normalcy… Amit Shah ji stayed here for three days… Nityanand Rai ji (MoS for home affairs) came and stayed for more than 20 days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sanctioned relief packages for the state. Even the MLAs are doing their best and helping out with evacuation and relief efforts. Some people in a particular constituency started burning effigies of the PM and home minister… that is why I was feeling bad that this is happening… they can burn my effigy but they are burning effigies of my leaders… the BJP has not done anything. I was hurt that even though I am giving my all, people are still abusing me… that is why I took the decision (to resign)… I thought that people did not trust me and that is why I wanted to resign but all my assumptions were wrong.
Your critics are saying you staged all of what happened yesterday (June 30).
The opposition will say all sorts of things. I can stage things with 100 people but not with thousands who were there outside my residence. Politically, anyone can say anything… but even I can’t plan 1 to 2 lakh people coming out in my support.
There are allegations against you that you have been partisan and supported only the Meiteis.
We should understand the root cause of the problem we are in. The state government did not give any reply to high court on giving ST status to Meiteis. The court asked for ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the question of including Meiteis in the ST category. Without the state government’s go-ahead nothing can happen, so why this violence? We did not recommend anything. They wanted to conduct a rally in the hills, so I thought everybody has the right to do that. But some elements got violent. Who are these people? Why did they do this? I too want justice and an inquiry should take place.
Who can be behind this?
This is not a fight between Kukis and Meiteis. It started from a rally, which came out because of the court order. The state government did not say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to that court order. We all have to live together, only some who do not want Manipur’s progress have done this. There can be an international conspiracy behind this. We have to sit together and resolve the problem through talks as the people of Manipur want to live peacefully.
What’s your message for both the communities? Do you think they can coexist?
I am talking to all the people, peace will prevail. Both the communities were staying together before. I have called Kuki leaders and told them that there can be problems within a family but we should talk to each other and stay together. Both sides have lost so much. I have got a positive response from their side. I have told them whenever they are ready, I will go and meet them and talk to them. If they want, I can send other people too. I have got a positive response; the past is the past, let’s begin again and stay together.
You have repeatedly told people not to block the way for security forces but women are still doing that.
I am constantly talking to people who are stopping the forces. This is due to mistrust and I am talking to every civil organisation involved and the roads have been cleared now and normalcy is returning. Offices are open, ministers are working and government employees have returned to their jobs. The markets are also open and the curfew has been relaxed, and even schools will soon reopen.
What’s your message to the people of Manipur?
My request is that everyone is working for the state. I thank all of the people, I thank the home minister and the PMO for monitoring the situation continuously. I want to request the people of Manipur to live in peaceful coexistence and leave violence.
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