Manipur turmoil: Will not resign as Chief Minister, says Biren Singh

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh clarified on Friday that he will not be resigning from the post.

"At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister," he tweeted.

Speculations were rife that Singh would offer his resignation during his meeting with Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Friday.

Sources claimed that he has been facing pressure from the Centre to stand down as his government failed to restore peace in the state.

According to reports, the Governor is likely to recommend President's rule in the state amid escalating violence in the state.

Hundreds of women on Friday gathered at Nupi Lal Complex, some 100 m from Manipur chief minister's secretariat and Raj Bhavan, urging CM N Biren Singh not to resign in the wake of the violence that has hit the northeastern state for nearly two months now. The women tore into pieces the resignation letter written by the Chief Minister.

The CM was contemplating resigning from the post, especially after renewed violence in the state on Thursday that claimed three more lives and left 5 injured.

Kshetrimayum Shanti, a women leader said, at this critical juncture, the Biren Singh government should stand firm and crack down on troublemakers.

Fresh violence erupted in Manipur on Thursday after armed rioters had opened unprovoked firing at Haraothel village. 

Biren Singh is also facing criticism over Manipur police's decision to stop Rahul Gandhi from visiting relief camps in the state.

Congress leaders alleged that Manipur Police, under the instructions of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, on Thursday stopped party leader Rahul Gandhi from visiting Bishnupur district to meet the violence-affected people.

However, Bishnupur's Superintendent of Police Heisnam Balram Singh said that they cannot allow VIPs like Rahul Gandhi to visit such a place where the militants create law and order problems and they use sophisticated arms and triggering IEDs.

Meanwhile, the toll in exchange of fire between security forces and suspected rioters in Manipur's Kangpokpi district a day before, rose to three on Friday, with one more person succumbing to injuries in hospital.

Members of the community to which two of the rioters belonged collected their bodies on Thursday and took out a procession to Chief Minister N Biren Singh's residence here, they said.

The demonstrators, led by women, dared police to arrest them, and were also seen burning tyres in the middle of the road to prevent the movement of the police, the officials said.

As security person stopped them from marching to Singh's residence, the processionists turned violent, prompting police to use tear gas shells and resort to lathicharge 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 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

(With agency inputs)