“Reports Suggest Manipur CM Biren Singh May Resign Today, Plans to Meet Governor”

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh is likely to tender his resignation on Friday in light of the prevailing law-and-order crisis caused by ethnic clashes in the state. Singh is scheduled to have a meeting with the state Governor Anusuiya Uikey sometime between 1-1:30 pm today.

CM Singh was given an ultimatum to either submit his resignation or have the central government intervene and take charge. On Sunday, he had a discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the violence in Manipur. Singh informed the home minister about the “evolving situation on the ground” in the state, according to news agency PTI.

The ongoing clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur have already claimed over 100 lives. The violence initially erupted on May 3 following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized in the hill districts.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Moirang on Friday to meet the affected people in the northeastern state who have been impacted by the ethnic clashes. Gandhi reached Moirang by helicopter from Imphal around 9:30 am and interacted with numerous individuals residing in two relief camps, attentively listening to their grievances. Accompanying him were former Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, party general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal, PCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, and former MP Ajay Kumar.

Sharing his thoughts on Instagram, Gandhi expressed, “It is truly heart-wrenching to witness and hear the stories of those who have lost their loved ones and homes due to the violence in Manipur.” He added, “Every brother, sister, and child I meet conveys a desperate cry for help.”

Gandhi emphasized, “What Manipur needs the most at this moment is peace – to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of our people. All our efforts must be united towards achieving this objective.”

On Thursday, the former Congress chief visited relief camps in Churachandpur, one of the towns severely affected by the ethnic clashes.

Responding to Gandhi’s remarks, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the situation in Manipur calls for compassion rather than a political leader exacerbating existing divisions. Sarma dismissed Gandhi’s day-long visit to Manipur as “mere media hype.”

“He (Rahul Gandhi) is visiting Manipur for just one day. It’s nothing more than media hype. Had there been positive outcomes from the visit, it would have been a different matter, but there will be no significant outcome from such a visit,” Sarma remarked. “The situation in Manipur demands that we bridge our differences through compassion. It’s not in the nation’s interest for a political leader to exploit his so-called visit and aggravate existing fault lines.”