Imphal, May 1: Twenty-one Manipur MLAs have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah separately, urging them to form a “popular government” in the northeastern state, which is now under the President’s rule, to ensure peace and normalcy.
The Centre had on February 13 imposed the President’s rule in Manipur, where more than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.
The imposition of the President’s rule came after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
The letters, containing the same appeal, were signed by 13 BJP MLAs, 3 NPP legislators, 3 Naga Peoples’ Front MLAs and two independent members of the assembly.
The letters stated, “The people of Manipur welcomed the President’s rule…with lots of hope and expectations. It’s going to be almost three months since the President’s rule was imposed, but no visible actions to bring peace and normalcy are seen so far.”
“There is strong apprehension among the people that the violence may reoccur in the state. Many civil organisations have come out openly against the imposition of the President’s rule. They have been demanding installation of a popular government in the state,” it said.
The legislators claimed in the April 10 letter that these organisations have started “holding public rallies, street corner meetings, instigating the general public, blaming the ruling MLAs for not staking claim to form a popular government and fixing responsibility for the imposition of PR (President’s rule) in Manipur”.
The letters were received separately by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 29 and made public on Wednesday, one of the legislators said.
The MLAs also said, “We feel that the installation of a popular government is the only means to bring peace and normalcy in Manipur.”
They requested the PM and the home minister to “take necessary steps to install a popular government at the earliest in the interests of the people of Manipur. We assure you that we will work with full dedication and devotion to bring peace and normalcy after installation of a popular government”.
However, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Keisham Meghachandra Singh criticised the 21 MLAs for writing the letter to the Centre, bypassing the governor.
He alleged that these legislators bypassed the Constitutional route in their “attempt to form a government in the state”, currently under the President’s Rule.
Meghachandra accused the MLAs of political insincerity and questioned their seriousness about ensuring democratic governance in the state.
In a post on X, Meghachandra said, “These legislators, who should have gone to Raj Bhavan in Imphal to stake claim a formation of a new government, had chosen to write not to the Manipur Governor. Instead, they chose to write to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister. The state is placed under President’s Rule. Their actions show that they are not serious about meeting the Governor to stake claim to the new government in Manipur.”
He emphasised that the political will of the people of Manipur must “not be reduced to a matter of convenience for ruling parties”.
“The mandate of the people of Manipur can’t be played for their political convenience. The people of Manipur want a change. The people of Manipur want a new alternative”, the Congress leader said, adding, “We must honour the new alternative and the change that the people of Manipur will bring for our better future.” (PTI)
