21 Manipur MLAs Urge PM Modi And Amit Shah To Restore Popular Government

In a major political move, 21 Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to restore a popular government in the state.

A group of MLAs visited the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Home Minister’s office in New Delhi on Tuesday. They submitted a letter signed by 21 legislators.

One of the MLAs confirmed the move on Wednesday. He said most of the signatories belong to the BJP, with the rest from the National People’s Party (NPP), Naga People’s Front (NPF), and two independents.

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since 13 February, four days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The 60-member Manipur Assembly, now under suspended animation, will likely remain in place until 2027.

The letter said the people welcomed the President’s Rule in Manipur with high hopes, but no concrete action to restore peace and normalcy had followed.

“There is a strong fear among citizens that violence may return. Many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have opposed President’s Rule and are demanding a popular government,” the MLAs wrote.

The letter noted that CSOs have started public rallies and street meetings, blaming the MLAs for not forming a government and for allowing President’s Rule in Manipur.

Call For Peace Through Political Stability

The MLAs stressed that only a popular government could bring back peace. “We assure full dedication to restore normalcy once the government is reinstated,” they said.

This is the first major appeal to the Centre since the imposition of President’s Rule on 13 February.

In efforts to resolve two years of ethnic unrest, the Ministry of Home Affairs held a tripartite meeting on 5 April with Meitei and Kuki-Zo leaders.

Representatives from AMUCO, FOCS, and the Kuki-Zo Council attended the meeting.

MHA advisor AK Mishra, Joint Director Rajesh Kamble, Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh, and ADGP Ashutosh Kumar Sinha were also present.

Ethnic clashes began on 3 May 2023 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ protested the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

The violence killed over 250 people, injured 1,500, and displaced more than 70,000. Thousands of homes and properties were damaged.

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