Imphal, Sep 24 Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Thursday called for identification and verification of cadres covered by the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact and those engaged in peace talks, besides mass combing operations to restore normalcy in the violence-hit state.
Addressing a press conference after meeting Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Singh said concrete steps were needed to address the prevailing situation.
“After I became chief minister in 2017, there were lots of positive changes and developments, including in the hill districts. However, the unfortunate incident happened on May 3, 2023. Over the years, with collective efforts, the situation had gradually improved,” he said.
Singh said he was compelled to resign following differences of opinion, and President’s rule was subsequently imposed in the state in 2025.
“When the new government came, we had hope that normalcy would be established. But then, suddenly in February, a brawl between two individuals spiralled into clashes between two communities,” he said.
Singh said during his tenure as chief minister, he had focused on identifying illegal immigrants, making the state drug-free and securing the future of indigenous people.
The former CM said he had conveyed to the governor the need to do “something concrete” to address the situation.
“I apprised him of the need for disarming miscreants, identification and verification of cadres in the Suspension of Operations pact and those in peace talks. The identification should be not of one community but all communities in the state,” he said.
The SoO pact is a tripartite agreement involving the Centre, the Manipur government and several Kuki and Zomi militant groups.
“I suggested to the governor that all militants be called to their designated camps recognised by the government and their weapons locked,” Singh said.
He added that a similar process should be followed for nearly 1,400 cadres of the United National Liberation Front (P) and around 300 cadres of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF).
“Non-SoO and non-peace-talks groups are illegal. A statewide mass combing operation should be conducted to flush all of them out either through arrests or other measures,” Singh said.
He also called for pursuing the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
“The governor was very concerned too,” Singh added.
(PTI News)
