Page 2 - Biren Singh

IPS officer who cracked Pulwama attack called back to Manipur amid violence

Fresh violence erupted in Manipur this week over the brutal killings of two students who went missing on July 6

Manipur: Govt asks people to exercise restraint as bodies' photos go viral

Hours after photos of the bodies of two students, who had been missing since July, have gone viral on social media, the Manipur government has asked people to exercise restraint and allow the authorities to investigate the "kidnapping and killing" of the duo. In a statement issued by the secretariat of Chief Minister N Biren Singh late on Monday night, the state government said the case has already been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Two students were identified as Phijam Hemjit (20) and Hijam Linthoingambi (17). "The state police, in collaboration with the central security agencies, are actively investigating the case to determine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and to identify the perpetrators who murdered the two students. The security forces have also started the search operation to nab the perpetrators," the statement said. Security personnel have been put on alert, and additional measures taken to prevent any incident following the

Remove Biren Singh for failing to restore normalcy in Manipur: CPI(M)

Senior CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury, who is currently visiting strife-torn Manipur as member of a party delegation, on Saturday demanded the removal of Chief Minister N Biren Singh for "failing to restore normalcy". Chaudhury, the Tripura unit's general secretary and part of the CPI(M) delegation that is on a three-day visit to the violence-affected state, alleged that the ethnic violence in the northeastern state was part of the BJP-RSS' strategy of engineering division among people across the country. The BJP, however, dismissed the CPI(M) leader's allegations as baseless and asserted the state was on the path to peace. "We don't see the strife in Manipur as an isolated situation but as part of the BJP-RSS' pan-India strategy of creating divisions and triggering mistrust among people to rule them. Such incidents are happening everywhere," Chaudhury told PTI over the phone. The CPI(M) delegation, led by its national general secretary Sitaram Yechury, visited three relief camps

NDA partner KPA withdraws support from Biren Singh govt in Manipur

NDA partner Kuki People's Alliance (KPA) on Sunday announced withdrawal of support from the N Biren Singh government in Manipur. In a letter to Governor Anusuiya Uikey, KPA president Tongmang Haokip informed about the party's decision to snap ties with the BJP-led government in Manipur, where ethnic rioting since the last three months has claimed more than 160 lives. "After careful consideration of the current conflagration, the continued support for the incumbent government of Manipur led by Chief Minister N Biren SIngh is no longer fructuous. "Accordingly, the support of the KPA to the Government of Manipur is hereby withdrawn and can be considered null and void," Haokip said in the letter. In the 60-member House, the KPA has two MLAs - Kimneo Haokip Hangshing from Saikul and Chinlunthang from Singhat. The BJP has 32 members in the Manipur Assembly, while it has support of five NPF MLAs and three independent legislators. The opposition legislators include seven from the NPP, fi

Gross violation: SC asks Centre to take action in Manipuri women's case

Earlier, addressing the media ahead of the Parliament's Monsoon session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that those found guilty will not be spared

First thing PM Modi should do is sack Manipur CM: Cong chief Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence on the Manipur violence and said the first thing he should do is sack Chief Minister N Biren Singh if he is really concerned about the state. No amount of "propaganda" by the BJP-led government can cover up its "abject failure" in handling the Manipur situation, Kharge said. He said reports indicate that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has finally spoken to Modi on the situation in the northeastern state and added, "For the last 55 days, Modiji did not say a word on Manipur. Every Indian is waiting for him to speak." "If Modiji is really concerned about Manipur, then the first thing he should do is sack his chief minister," Kharge said on Twitter. More than 100 people have so far lost their lives in the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur. Kharge said, "No amount of propaganda by the BJP and Modi government can cover up their abject failures in dealing wit

Peace not possible under him: Cong demands immediate removal of Manipur CM

The Congress on Saturday said peace in violence-hit Manipur is not possible under Chief Minister N Biren Singh and demanded that the prime minister replaces him immediately. Presenting an eight-point charter of demands on behalf of the Congress at an all-party meeting convened by Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament building, former chief minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh said it was unfortunate that he was not allowed more time to put across his views towards the end of the meeting. Singh, who represented the Congress, said the meeting should have been chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi "who has not said a single word on Manipur in the past 50 days". "This all-party meeting would have been better had it been chaired by the prime minister and held in Imphal. This would have sent a clear message to the people of Manipur that their pain and distress are also a matter of national anguish," he said, while demanding that all rebel groups must be disarmed immediately without any

Manipur CM urges people with arms not to attack, appeals to maintain peace

Amid the violence in Manipur, Chief Minister N Biren Singh appealed to the people to maintain peace and urged those with arms not to attack so that normalcy can be restored."I appeal to the people who are with arms not to attack anything. Please maintain peace so that we can resource normalcy in the state....," said N Biren Singh while talking to reporters.Earlier on Monday, CM N Biren Singh visited some relief camps in the state and said that the state government is soon going to construct pre-fabricated houses to accommodate the people temporarily."I visited some relief camps and people are suffering. State Government is going to construct pre-fabricated houses to accommodate them temporarily," Manipur CM said."Around 3000-4000, houses will be constructed...We are looking for the place where the construction can be done," he further stated.On the intervening night of June 18-19, an Indian Army soldier was injured after armed miscreants resorted to unprovoked firing from Kanto Sabal .

4,000 temporary homes to be built for displaced people: Manipur CM

The violence, which broke out since May 3, so far has claimed 120 lives and injured around 400 people of different communities

Infiltrators, militants causing unrest in Manipur, says CM Biren Singh

Manipur CM N Biren Singh on Thursday said that infiltrators from across the border and militants have caused the ongoing unrest in the state and it is not an enmity between two communities

Biren Singh says 40 militants killed; fresh clashes break out in Manipur

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday said nearly 40 armed militants involved in torching houses and firing at civilians have been killed by security forces since they began an operation to bring peace to the north eastern state beset by ethnic rioting. Singh's comments came in the backdrop of fresh clashes breaking out between armed groups and security forces at over half a dozen places across Manipur on Sunday, The Chief Minister who was interacting with the media persons at the state secretariat, claimed the latest round of conflict is not between communities but between Kuki militants and security forces. Singh also said that there had been cases of armed militants firing at civilians with AK-47s, M-16 and sniper rifles. These militants were targeted by security forces in counter-attacks. The CM appealed to the public not to hinder the movement of security personnel and urged them to have "faith in the government and support the security forces." We have experienced .

Kuki MLAs, civil society groups decide against dialogue with Manipur govt

At least eight tribal MLAs from Manipur and various civil society organisations decided not to engage in any dialogue with the N Biren Singh government running the northeastern state which was recently rocked by ethnic violence, according to a statement issued by them. Several civil society entities belonging to Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi-Hmar ethnic groups in Manipur and the tribal legislators from there, including BJP MLAs, held a meeting in Mizoram's capital Aizawl on Wednesday to discuss the tension in the neighbouring state. "The meeting resolved (the community would) stand unitedly to face the present crisis and not to engage in any dialogue or talk with the present Manipur government," the statement said. During the meeting, it was decided to hold consultations on a wider scale so as to arrive at a common political agenda with other groups, it said. A separate administration in the form of a Union Territory for the Kuki-dominated districts or other political safeguard was widely ..

Curfew relaxed in Imphal as life crawls back to normal, CM thanks Amit Shah

Life was crawling back to somewhat normal in violence-hit Manipur as people came out of their homes in state capital Imphal to buy essential items with the curfew being relaxed for a few hours on Monday morning, officials said. Drones and helicopters continued a close watch, while personnel of the Army and Assam Rifles held flag marches in different areas that have been rocked by ethnic violence over the last few days, they said. The clashes broke out on Wednesday after tribals organised a demonstration in the ten hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, leading to the deaths of at least 54 people. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and live in the hill districts. So far, 23,000 people have been rescued from the violence-hit areas and moved to military garrisons, officials

Poppy plantations in Manipur to be destroyed completely: CM Biren Singh

Asserting that his government is committed to save people from drug menace, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday said poppy cultivation in the state will be eradicated completely. Addressing a gathering at the inaugural function of "Agri Horti Expo and Buyer Seller Meet for Organic and Indigenous Products of Manipur" at Hapta Kangjeibung here, he said, "You must be aware of difficulties that I am facing because of the wide-scale destruction of poppy plants. I am ready to fight it". The BJP government in the state will "not allow poppy cultivation" and has been taking strict actions against those involved in such plantations, he said. During the event, Singh also said that the state witnessed "significant growth in the export of agricultural products over the past few years". "This meet will create a platform for buyers to get products directly from producer groups and processors. The state government will also put in the best for farmers and producers of the state to harn

Fresh clashes in Manipur's Churachandpur amid bandh; CM defers rally

Fresh clashes broke out between demonstrators and police personnel in Manipur's Churachandpur town on Friday night, with the security forces using batons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob. Rumours are flying that several people were killed and injured in police action in the town, hours after a bandh called by Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) concluded at 4 pm. However, no official confirmation was available. The eight-hour shutdown, called to protest against the eviction of Kuki villagers from protected forests, paralysed normal life in the tribal-dominated southern Manipur district. Earlier in the day, clashes erupted between demonstrators and police at Sadbhavna Mandap in New Lamka in Churachandpur district, the venue where Chief Minister N Biren Singh was scheduled to address a public meeting. The chief minister, however, deferred the visit following protests and the call for the bandh. Stone throwing by protestors, firing of tear gas shells and rubber bul

Centre's approval required to introduce NRC in Manipur: CM Biren Singh

"The state government has already constituted the Manipur State Population Commission (MSPC). We have appointed members and now through that, the immigrants in the states will be identified": Singh

We want to make Manipur football capital of India: CM Biren Singh

The state government, however, aims to build at least two world-class academies to promote sports like football and boxing

Manipur CM Biren Singh backs Himanta Sarma over demolition of madrasas

Singh said that he would have taken the same action if he had been the chief minister of Assam

Biren Singh, BJP MLA rush to Delhi again; Manipur CM name likely out soon

The two leaders left for the national capital after being summoned by the party top brass and who will be the chief minister this time is likely to be known by Sunday, BJP sources said

Manipur polls: A clear verdict promises smooth sailing for Biren Singh 2.0

The BJP has touched the magic mark of 31 seats on its own, thus eliminating the need for support from either the Naga People's Front (NPF) or the National People's Party (NPP).