Guwahati, Nov 20: The Manipur Congress has called for urgent action against senior party leader P. Chidambaram over a controversial post he made on X (formerly Twitter).
In his post, Chidambaram criticized the deployment of additional central armed police forces in Manipur and called for the removal of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, whom he described as the root cause of the crisis. He also advocated for regional autonomy in a statement that was later deleted.
In his post, Chidambaram stated: “Rushing 5000 more central armed police force is not the answer to the Manipur crisis. It is more wisdom: acknowledging that Mr. Biren Singh, the chief minister of Manipur, is the cause of the crisis and removing him immediately.”
He alluded to the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities without fully elaborating, adding to the controversy. He also talked of regional autonomy for a permanent solution to the Manipur crisis.
In an emergency meeting in Imphal on Tuesday, Congress leaders, including Congress Legislature Party (CLP) members, former MPCC presidents, and others, condemned the post.
A letter to Mallikarjun Kharge expressed the party’s disapproval, describing the language as “highly inappropriate during heightened tensions, public grief, and political sensitivity.”
The letter reiterated the Congress’s commitment to the unity and territorial integrity of Manipur and requested swift action against Chidambaram.
Chidambaram was previously involved in the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with Kuki militants. A resurfaced photo of him with ZRA president Thanglianpau Guite, a former MP from Myanmar, has further fueled tensions.
The controversy has sparked debates within the party, highlighting the sensitive nature of the ongoing Manipur crisis and the internal challenges faced by the Congress in navigating this politically and socially complex situation.
