New Delhi: Amid unabated ethnic violence in Manipur, the State on Friday witnessed an unprecedented drama when the resignation letter of Chief Minister N Biren Singh tore up by his supporters outside his residence in Imphal. Following which, Chief Minister Biren N Singh clarified that he was not resigning from post, putting an end to a day-long rumour on the issue.
Before his clarification, thousands of demonstrators blocked the Manipur Chief Minister's convoy from proceeding towards Raj Bhavan. The CM eventually told women demonstrators that he was not resigning from the chief minister's post. Biren Singh later also tweeted, At this crucial juncture I would like to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of chief minister. Women leaders who met him defused the situation by coming out of the chief minister's residence and assuring the crowd that Singh was not resigning. The mob slowly dispersed from his residence after this statement.
Unable to control the situation in Manipur, Chief Minister Singh had earlier said that he will put his resignation before Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Friday. First he was supposed to meet the Governor at 2 p.m. but protestors opposing his resignation gathered at his residence which forced Singh to postpone his timing to meet the Governor at 3 p.m.
When Singh along with 20 MLAs was processing towards Raj Bhawan, they were again gheraod by his supporters forcing him to go back to his residence. When two of his MLAs came to meet the protestors, one of the protestors tire up his resignation letter. "At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister," Singh later clarified.
As security personnel stopped them from marching to Singh's residence, the processionists turned violent, prompting police to use tear gas shells and resort to lathi-charge to disperse the mob. More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.
Manipur Government spokesperson Sapan Ranjan Singh said that several state ministers and MLAs also joined the protestors in urging the Chief Minister not to resign. "People's voice is most important, and the people's emotions have to be taken into consideration," Singh said. On June 25, Chief Minister Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and appraised him of the situation in Manipur.
Two days after his meeting with Shah, Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey met Shah and President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi and appraised them of the present situation of the State.
