President's Rule in Manipur signifies political obit for Biren Singh
President’s Rule has been imposed in Manipur. This marks the ouster of Chief Minister N Biren Singh – whom the centre gave an unprecedented indulgence and protection. But the imminent had to come.
Amid rumours about Congress sponsoring a no-trust motion against him, Singh resigned on Feb 9.
That was the first episode. The subsequent episode unfolded on Feb 13 evening when the President’s Rule was imposed.
Former CM Biren Singh
“I Droupadi Murmu, President of India, have received a report from the Governor of the State of Manipur and after considering the report and other information received by me, I am satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the Government of that State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India,” an official notification said.
Biren Singh’s ouster looked imminent as the ethnic violence that started on May 3, 2023 did not quite end and tension still prevails at an unexpected levels. Kukis cannot come to the Imphal-belt where Meiteis dominate and Hindu Manipuris (Meiteis) cannot go to Churachandpur’s hilly region at all.
The most important thing expected of a Chief Minister that he has strategies and vision for how to fix some of the entrenched problems of a state. Here Biren Singh failed.
But Biren Singh's removal from the position of authority in Imphal leaves a big political vacuum and also a few questions to look for the answers.
As state’s Chief Minister and blessed with high command's blessings Biren Singh had tried to emerge as a champion of the Meitei-cause. His plans have boomeranged.
After Congress veteran Okram Ibobi Singh was voted out of office in 2017, many thought Biren will inherit that position. For sometime it appeared, Biren was able to do so.
Writing on the wall : Churachandpur
"Biren Singh has/had a bad habit or he is too frank... he started blaming Meiteis - his own people - for demanding ST status for triggering the violence and some time he would blame the foreign immigrants. All these were to cover own failure. And these combined together to write his political obit for the time being,” says a local analyst in Imphal.
This journalist’s visit to Imphal and other places in Manipur coincided with the Republic Day season or just a few days in the run up to the R-Day celebration. As expected there was a simmering tension.
Amidst such situations; Imphal market functioned normally in the evening hours. I met two women entrepreneurs in the busy all-women sellers market. One of them dealt with artificial ornaments. On the wrong side of 70, the senior citizen expressed her unhappiness with the state of affairs.
But what she had said was politically significant. "Both the parties the Congress and the BJP have failed.... I am old communist, I support CPI. My party should work harder in Manipur," remarked Meima Laisram.
Another woman entrepreneur - Nirmala Devi too was not happy with the BJP governments both at the centre and in the state.
Her refrain was- "If Biren Singh was a failure and could not stop this continuous spree of violence why Home Minister Amit Shah and the central government are allowing Biren to continue in office".
However, she said other issues raised by the Chief Minister too were valid -- "It is true foreign immigrants from Myanmar have been coming and the Kuki population has increased manifold.
Poppy cultivation and Biren Singh's war was another factor...".
Writ of the Govt collapsed:
But Biren Singh’s biggest failure was that the writ of the government machineries collapsed. He was often arrogant and even unreasonable with officials.
One low ranking police personnel joked about the situation saying – “We and our senior bosses are often facing diktats of a Hitler”.
In fact the refrain goes that Biren Singh fiddled with power. But last few months - social workers and others in the state capital and in Kuki-stronghold Churachandpur felt his focus was neither the governance nor the state. He was more into contemplating or analysing things happening around him - whether he would be disturbed or replaced or he would be allowed to continue in office by New Delhi.
Meitei relief camp : Near Imphal
According a retired Kuki police officer in Churachandpur, the Chief Minister himself could be 'responsible' for most of what has gone wrong for him.
In Imphal the dominant Meiteis felt two major issues were matters of deep concern.
One is - kick-starting the fashion of setting up of 'Kangaroo courts' and dispensing justice in own style and not following the standard jurisprudence.
Recently an allegedly rape victim did not go to Biren Singh's police force.In a statement, the Koireng-faction of United National Liberation Front (UNLF) said the punishment was handed out to Khaidem Nongdam Khanganba, 30, of Imphal West district following its investigation.
The 'banned militant group' on Jan 14 said that it shot a 30-year-old man in his leg to punish him for rape of a 28-year-old woman in an Imphal hotel on January 10. The rape survivor was staying alone in Hotel Imphal after returning to the state from Delhi.
The muscle-flexing by the organisations have been reported earlier as well. In a move rife with symbolism, all the Meitei legislators from Manipur – 37 MLAs and two Members of Parliament, across party lines – were “summoned” by the Arambai Tenggol in 2024.
Assam Rifles repairing water pipes : 2023 mayhem
This organisation is a post-May 2023 phenomenon and has been described as a radical body or as a radicalised armed militia. It is also seen as a revivalist organisation that aims to re-establish the pre-Hindu, native Sanamahi religion among the Meiteis and allegedly enjoys the patronage of powerful Netas.
On Jan 25th, 2024, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had tweeted stating - "The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the brutal physical assault on Manipur PCC President K. Meghachandra, in a meeting of all-party MLAs/ MPs/ Ministers, under full security protection of state and central forces, at Kangla in Imphal".
A kangaroo court is a term used to describe courts that ignore legal standards and justice, and are often convened without official standing. In Manipur as also in other states, these courts thrive only when people lose faith in the police or the criminal justice system.
The writ of the government was zero. A former Congressman Biren Singh came as BJP’s Chief Minister in the state polity in 2017. He could win the crucial 2022 polls for his party and alliance partner NPF of the Nagas. For some time, he was a virtual architect of boom for Meitei people and also his state.
The state was doing well on development front and it was presumed that Narendra Modi’s Double engine government would do well.
But 2023 violence changed all that. Modi had to avoid visiting Manipur even during Lok Sabha polls. In 2023 assembly polls in Mizoram, Modi kept himself out as reports suggested that Mizos who share ethnic bonds with Kukis will stage protest against the Prime Minister.
In 2024, BJP and its regional partners NPF, NDPP and MPP lost crucial seats in Manipur, Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Replacing Biren Singh became must for Modi. And so it happened.
Now the level of expectations from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla will be quite high.
One Kuki Youth Front leader in Churachandpur said -- "Biren Singh's 'final ouster' as the Chief Minister from the position of power and authority is welcome, but he should face trial in a legal court or the people's court for failure in administration".
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** Pointer:
The BJP had replaced the Congress in Manipur in 2017 and five years later again in 2022 the Lotus party returned to power in the state with its alliance partners.
The unprecedented violence throughout 2023 from May 3rd and tension and some skirmishes prevailed and still Chief Minister N Biren Singh survived for a while. Of course politically people spoke against the Double-engine government during Lok Sabha elections and the BJP lost Inner Manipur parliamentary seat while its two allies NPF lost Outer Manipur and even NDPP lost the lone Nagaland Lok Sabha seat.
The basic social fabric of Manipur was eroded by continued social instability.
The toll on the physical and even mental well-being in such a situation has been staggering. Mutual suspicion reached its zenith.
Just driving in a taxi or a private car from Imphal to nearby Churachandpur; there were half a dozen check posts on Jan 18th (2025) underlining the need for extra ordinary precaution.
"You may come from Delhi or Bambai, checking will happen 10 times if necessary. We want to know about you and also whether your wife is a Kuki or a Meitei," said a a security personnel from among the security officials of different ranks belonging to various security organisations at frequent intervals from Manipur police, BSF, CRPF, Garhwals and Assam Rifles.
Ends
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