The Manipur Congress on Tuesday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh of failing to present a unified stance on the ongoing violence in the state, alleging that their contradictory statements have created confusion and hindered efforts to restore peace.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan in Imphal, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee President Keisham Meghachandra highlighted inconsistencies in the narratives offered by the two leaders. “Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently described the crisis as an ethnic clash between two communities, while Biren Singh blamed illegal infiltrators from Myanmar. These contradictions have led to confusion and stalled efforts to restore peace,” Meghachandra said.
He also referenced Shah’s earlier remarks during the 2023 no-confidence motion debate, where the home minister cited both a Manipur High Court ruling on the Meitei’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status and illegal infiltrators as causes of the turmoil. “These inconsistent statements over 19 months clearly show a lack of focus in addressing the crisis,” Meghachandra added.
The Congress leader further criticised Chief Minister Biren Singh for his Vijay Diwas speech, in which Singh claimed he had not received intelligence inputs for the past 15 months. Meghachandra questioned the Chief Minister’s accountability, asking, “Is he not the chief minister who handles the home department, which oversees intelligence operations? If not him, then who is managing the department?”
He also demanded clarification on Singh’s allegation that some agencies provided false information to the Centre. “Who are these agencies? Are they state or central agencies?” Meghachandra asked, describing the situation as a reflection of “confusion and incompetence” in handling law and order.
The Congress leader urged both the state and central governments to take decisive action to restore peace and normalcy in the violence-hit state. “People are losing their livelihoods, rights, and freedom to speak. The state is descending into chaos and anarchy,” he warned.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has yet to respond to the allegations.
