Ukhrul: Hours after the Mizo National Front (MNF) demanded the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, the BJP-led government in Manipur issued a strong rebuttal, accusing the Mizoram-based political party of being anti-national.
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In a strongly worded statement released Thursday night, the Manipur government expressed its disapproval of the MNF’s persistent interference in Manipur’s internal affairs. The government also criticized the MNF for spreading propaganda that it described as anti-national and pro-Myanmar refugee, particularly during the last state assembly elections, where the MNF faced significant losses.
The statement came in response to MNF General Secretary VL Krosnehzova’s demand for N. Biren Singh’s resignation. Krosnehzova accused Singh’s administration of failing to resolve the ongoing crisis and perpetuating the suffering of innocent people.
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“Under Biren Singh’s administration, as of November 22, 2024, the violence has claimed 219 lives of our ethnic kin, destroyed nearly 360 churches, and left countless others injured. Over 7,000 homes have been burnt, and 200 villages reduced to ashes. More than 41,425 individuals are displaced, forced to live as refugees within their own country. Such atrocities demand not just leadership but an unrelenting pursuit of justice and restoration,” stated the MNF.
In response, the Manipur government accused the MNF of revealing its “anti-national stance” by opposing measures such as fencing the open border with Myanmar. The government stated that such efforts aim to curb illegal immigration, arms and drug trafficking, and threats to internal security and defense. The statement further recalled that the MNF had once led a secessionist movement in the erstwhile Mizo district of Assam.
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The Manipur government attributed the ongoing crisis in the state to illegal immigrants from Myanmar, accusing them of engaging in illicit poppy cultivation and funding narco-terrorism. It dismissed allegations of religious discrimination, instead blaming fabricated narratives promoted by groups like the MNF for tarnishing the state’s image internationally.
The statement highlighted an abnormal 122% increase in villages in certain Kuki-dominated hill districts of Manipur between 1969 and the present, contrasting it with a mere 9% increase in Naga-dominated districts. It questioned whether the MNF had considered the implications of this sharp rise, particularly in forest areas, which it linked to illegal immigration.
The Manipur government also pointed out that Mizoram itself had implemented strict measures against illegal immigration, such as prohibiting Myanmar nationals from purchasing land or running businesses without prior permission. It questioned why the MNF opposed similar actions in Manipur.
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“The Mizoram government has fixed 1950 as the cutoff year for defining Indigenous Persons under its Inner Line Permit system. Likewise, the Manipur People’s Bill set 1951 as the cutoff year, later revised to December 31, 1961. The MNF should reflect on this and recognize the scale of illegal immigration since 1951,” the statement said.
The Manipur government accused the MNF of supporting a broader agenda to create a Kuki-Chin nation spanning parts of Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh through illegal immigration, land grabs, and displacement of indigenous populations. It reiterated its commitment to preserving the integrity of Northeast India against such efforts.
The government also highlighted its “War on Drugs” initiative, which has reportedly seized or destroyed drugs worth ₹60,000 crore in the international market since 2017. The statement alleged that Mizoram had become a transit route for illegal arms, ammunition, and drugs between India and Myanmar, urging the MNF to focus on this issue instead of criticizing Manipur’s actions.
Efforts to restore peace in Manipur were also emphasized. The government claimed to have provided relief to over 60,000 displaced persons, conducted successful operations to recover stolen arms and ammunition, and ensured impartial investigations by involving agencies like the NIA and CBI. A Commission of Inquiry led by a retired Supreme Court judge is also probing the origins of the ethnic conflict.
Several efforts towards peace, including meeting of legislators convened have resulted in major developments with the Thadou community, the largest tribe in Manipur, and the Hmar tribe, expressing willingness to end the crisis, with the Meiteis and the Liangmai tribes reciprocating wholeheartedly, it added.
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