Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh Suggests External Influence in Violent Unrest, Calls it ‘Pre-planned’

Manipur Violence: The violence that has engulfed the state since May 3 as a result of the organisation of a “Tribal Solidarity March” in the hill areas was alluded to on Saturday by the chief minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, as being the work of “a foreign hand.” According to news agency ANI, the chief minister suggested that other forces may have been involved in the ethnic conflicts and added that they appeared to be “pre-planned.”

Porous and Unsecured Boundaries, A Security Challenge

“Manipur and Myanmar have shared boundaries. Also nearby is China. Our boundaries are porous and unsecured for up to 398 kilometres. Even a strong and wide security deployment cannot cover such a large area, despite the fact that there are security troops stationed on our borders. According to what is occurring, though, we are unable to either refute or affirm anything. It appears pre-planned, albeit the reason why is unclear,” the Manipur chief minister stated. He said that he had spoken with his “Kuki brothers and sisters” earlier in the day and had urged, “Let’s forgive and forget,” and that both the federal government and the state government were working tirelessly to bring peace back to the state. N Biren Singh also discussed Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, visiting Manipur. The Gandhi scion’s visit’s timing was questioned, and it was added that his visit to the state appeared to have a “political agenda”.

A Question of Political Agenda

“We can’t stop anyone. But the timing – it has been 40 days. Why did he not come earlier? He is a Congress leader but in what capacity was he making the visit? I don’t think the timing was right. He seemed to have come with a political agenda. He came and then there was an incident in the market and BJP office was attacked. Did he come for the situation in the state or for political mileage? I don’t support the manner in which he came,” said Manipur chief minister Biren Singh. Over 100 people have already died as a result of the current ethnic tensions in Manipur between the Meitei and Kuki communities. Following the planning of a “Tribal Solidarity March” in the hill areas on May 3, violence first broke out. The Meitei community had requested Scheduled Tribe (ST) designation, but the tribal Kuki tribe had fiercely opposed this. The march was in response to this. Since then, the conflicts between the two groups have gotten worse.

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