Manipur CM's Resignation 'Too Little, Too Late', Say Opposition Leaders

Biren Singh earlier took a holy dip in the Sangam at the Maha Kumbh and prayed for peace and prosperity in the nation and Manipur.

New Delhi:The opposition leaders on Monday termed the resignation of Biren Singh as the chief minister of Manipur "too little, too late", and called it a step taken to avoid a no-confidence motion the Congress was about to bring in the state assembly. Several opposition MPs also hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit the strife-torn state soon.

"It's too little too late… People of Manipur, his own party leaders, and the opposition have been asking for Singh's resignation for two years, yet violence continued in Manipur," Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

"Perhaps he got some wisdom after 'Ganga Snan'. But that too is not the case here… It's because they knew a no-confidence motion was coming and they feared that their own party MLAs would vote in support of it, and that is why he was asked to resign. It is sad that it took him so long (to resign)," she told PTI.

Last Thursday, Singh took a holy dip in the Sangam at the Maha Kumbh and prayed for peace and prosperity of the nation and Manipur, which has been in turmoil for over 22 months. Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra said it is the end of a "shameful chapter" in the history of Manipur.

"It was shameless bloodlust that made him hold on. The violence started 648 days ago. He has not resigned because it was the moral thing to do, he resigned because he did not want to face the humiliation of the no-confidence motion that was bound to succeed," she told PTI.

"This is the end of a shameful chapter in Manipur's history. I hope the prime minister, if he finds time from (visiting) France and America, will make a trip to Manipur," Moitra added. Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor spoke on similar lines, saying the resignation was long overdue.

"It was overdue. I have no question in my mind that as far as Manipur was concerned, we have been asking to send this chief minister packing for a couple of years now, ever since the violence broke out. His own complicity and feckless mismanagement of the situation became evident," Tharoor told PTI.

"Now that we were going to bring a no-confidence motion, it was very clear that he didn't have enough support to make him last even within his own party," he added. Rajiv Raji of the Samajwadi Party also attacked the Centre for the action coming "too late".

"I would like to ask the government of India, what were they waiting for for the last two years when women were raped and paraded naked? Is the Centre satisfied now after pushing the people into anarchy? A case should be filed against him (Siren Singh)," he told PTI.

CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas also said the Manipur chief minister should have resigned long back and called the delay "unfortunate", while Azad Samaj Party MP Chandra Shekhar Aazad said Singh should have been punished.

"He should have been punished. If the Centre, the Modi government had respect for women, Singh would have been sacked long ago. Manipur kept burning, women were paraded naked... The whole nation saw the violence, and the government's attitude was callous," Aazad said.

"A chief minister who can't protect women, minorities, can't stop violence, has no right to be on the chair," he added. NCP (SP) Rajya Sabha MP Fauzia Khan said the prime minister should visit Manipur soon to assure the people that the nation stands with them.

Republican Party of India (Athawale) leader and Union minister Ramdas Athawale, however, claimed that Singh resigned after taking responsibility for the situation in Manipur.

"There has been a strife between Meitei and Kuki communities for the last two years. Many people have died. Now there is peace, yet some incidents have happened... People from the Myanmar border come there. Singh resigned after meeting Amit Shah. I think he resigned thinking it was his responsibility," Athawale said.

Singh tendered his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Sunday. More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless since ethnic violence broke out in the state in May 2023.