Imphal, March 31 (IANS) Former Manipur Chief Minister and senior BJP leader N. Biren Singh said on Monday that P.A. Sangma, the former Union Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker, had advocated a dangerous idea of breaking northeast into smaller states along ethnic lines, and today similar attempts were being made to interfere in Manipur’s internal affairs to destabilise the state.
In a post on his X handle, Singh said, “Late P.A. Sangma once advocated for dividing the northeast into smaller states along ethnic lines, a dangerous idea that threatened the unity of our Nation. Today, we are seeing similar attempts to interfere in Manipur’s internal affairs to destabilise the state. Manipur’s situation is unique. This state is home to several small, vulnerable indigenous communities whose protection necessitated the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), he said.
The ex-Chief Minister tagged his post with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and said, “After years of effort to safeguard indigenous populations, we have begun to make real progress such as the implementation of ILP, a hard-won achievement. Shri Conrad K. Sangma should know that the violence was not spontaneous, it was instigated by those who feel threatened and insecure by this kind of progress. Does Mr Conrad Sangma know that Manipur had already initiated border fencing? That the Free Movement Regime (FMR) is now strictly regulated? Has he noticed the alarming rise in unrecognised villages within Manipur’s borders?”
Conrad K Sangma is the son of P.A. Sangma and President of National People’s Party (NPP), which is dominating the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) led government.
Singh also with his post tagged an old video of P.A. Sangma’s speech.
“It must be noted that when Manipur was facing these serious challenges, others refrained from interfering in our internal affairs,” Biren Singh said.
He said the same courtesy was expected, yet some chose a different path, one driven by narrow interests rather than genuine concern. “Today, various groups across the northeast are beginning to recognise the seriousness of FMR, ILP and border security. Manipur’s experiences should serve as a lesson, not a platform for political posturing. Manipur is home to 32 indigenous tribes whose identities, cultures, and way of life deserve protection,” Singh pointed out.
“Refrain from encouraging illegal immigrants or interfering in matters that threaten this delicate balance,” the former Chief Minister urged. He said the people of Manipur have endured enough and prayed for peace, saying, “Let us live in peace.”
Manipur has been under the President’s rule since February 13, four days after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who was heading a BJP-led government for the second term, resigned on February 9, following ethnic violence for over 23 months.
Singh, as Chief Minister, had earlier said that the identification of illegal immigrants was initiated through proper constitutional provisions after satellite mapping indicated the growth of unrecognised villages in the state.
Earlier, a Manipur government statement had said that in the period between 1969 till now, there has been an increase in the number of villages in the districts of Kangpokpi, Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur, and Pherzawl by 893, from 731 to 1,624, or a 122 per cent increase. In the remaining hill districts of Tamenglong, Noney, Senapati, Ukhrul and Kamjong, which are Naga-dominated, the increase during the same period is a figure of merely 49, up from 527 to 576, a mere 9 per cent increase, the statement had said.
–IANS
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