IT News/ Agencies
Imphal, Aug 22:
In a significant political development, seven BJP MLAs, including two cabinet ministers in the N. Biren Singh-led Manipur government, have called for the formation of a committee to investigate the Chief Minister. A total of ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, including seven from the ruling BJP, have demanded a probe into Biren Singh’s alleged role in the violence that erupted last year between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
In a joint statement, the MLAs expressed grave concerns over the Chief Minister’s conduct, questioning his role in the ethnic violence that has shaken the state. They allege that Biren Singh, who belongs to the Meitei community, allowed and even facilitated the massacre of the Kuki community. The MLAs have released an audio tape, purportedly revealing that the Chief Minister used his authority to shield the Meitei community while allowing the exploitation of the Kuki community.
The MLAs further claim that despite warnings from Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Manipur, CM Biren Singh continued to incite the public, leading to widespread unrest. They accuse him of allowing the looting of nearly 5,000 weapons from police forces across the state, which have reportedly been used to fuel the violence. No arrests have been made in connection with these incidents, heightening suspicions of the Chief Minister’s involvement.
In a particularly damning allegation, the MLAs claim that Biren Singh admitted in the leaked audio tape that he could “kill 300 Kukis and still be forgiven,” but asserted that the Meitei community would not allow such actions. This revelation has intensified the political crisis within the BJP, with the seven MLAs calling for immediate action against the Chief Minister.
The ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, in their statement on Wednesday, urged for the swift formation of a commission to investigate the allegations against Biren Singh. They stated that if found guilty, the Chief Minister should be prosecuted for his crimes and immediately debarred from office to prevent him from influencing the probe.
The Manipur government has twice refuted the allegations. On August 7, after the Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) released a portion of the audio clip, and again on August 20, following a report by The Wire. The state government has dismissed the audio as “doctored” and accused it of being an attempt to derail peace talks.
The ten Kuki-Zo MLAs also pointed to a Facebook post by the Chief Minister’s brother, Rajendro Nong, who they claim was seen threatening those who leaked the sensitive tape. The MLAs asserted that the audio clip further confirms their long-held belief in the Chief Minister’s complicity in state-sponsored ethnic cleansing.
