'Sorry' for ethnic conflict: Manipur CM Biren Singh's year-end message; urges all to 'start afresh'

IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state which claimed over 250 lives and rendered thousands homeless and appealed to all communities to forget and forgive past mistakes and start afresh.

Addressing reporters here, Singh said that there has been relative peace in the state in the last three-four months, which gives him hope that normalcy will be restored in the new year.

"I want to say sorry for what happened in the state. Many people lost their loved ones and many had to leave their homes. I regret and want to apologise. But after seeing relative peace in the last 3-4 months, I hope that normalcy will be restored in the coming year.

"Whatever happened has happened... I want to appeal to all communities to forgive and forget our past mistakes and start life afresh by living together in a peaceful and prosperous Manipur," he said.

The Congress asked why can't Prime Minister Narendra Modi go to the northeastern state and do the same even though he travels across the country and the world.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the people of Manipur cannot understand their neglect by the prime minister, whom he accused of deliberately avoiding a visit to the northeastern state.

Responding to Ramesh's post on microblogging site, Singh accused the Congress of indulging in politics in his apology to the people of the state over ethnic conflict and asserted that his statement was a "sincere act of expressing grief" for the citizens who have been displaced and have become homeless.

He also alleged that Manipur is "in turmoil because of the past sins committed by the Congress".

Singh, in the post on X, said, "The apology I extended today was a sincere act of expressing my grief for the people who have been left displaced and become homeless. As a chief minister, it was an appeal to forgive and forget what had happened. However, you brought politics into it."

The chief minister also said firing incidents have declined in the state over the last 20 months since the ethnic conflict began in May 2023.

"From May to October, 2023, 408 firing incidents were reported. From November 2023 to April 2024, there were 345 firing incidents, whereas from May this year till now, 112 firing incidents were reported," he said.

Of all the looted weapons, 3,112 have been recovered and 2,511 explosives have been seized during the period, he said.

The chief minister also said that 625 people have been arrested and 12,247 FIRs registered so far.

Seventeen companies of security forces have been deployed along the Imphal-Mao-Dimapur National Highway and an additional 18 companies along the Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar National Highway, he said.

The chief minister also mentioned that the government has procured 40 bulletproof vehicles and heavy weapons to counter armed militants.

"With the formation of the BJP-led government in the state, the law and order situation has improved. The government acted as a bridge between the insurgent groups and the Centre for initiation of peace talks," he claimed.

Manipur Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi Singh expressed disappointment over the alleged failure of the Centre and the state government to resolve the 19-month-long violence in the northeastern state.

The state assembly is the only appropriate platform to discuss and find solutions to Manipur’s crisis, he told reporters at Congress Bhavan here

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.

The chief minister also said that the Aadhaar-linked birth registration service will be launched in three districts of the state soon which will enable the government to capture children's data from birth and provide accurate demographic data.

A newborn's Aadhaar number will be generated linking it to the same of the child's mother.

"This activity shall help the state in long terms to protect the indigenous population," he said.

Through the government's "endless efforts", a total of 2,058 displaced families (7,549 people) have been able to return to their original place of residence, the CM said.

Singh stated that the government has released Rs 30 crore for the distribution of Rs 1,000 per person for the people taking shelter in relief camps and five instalments have been disbursed so far.

For relief camps' operations, a total of Rs 280 crore have been released till date, he added.

The government also granted a compensatory package of Rs 32 crore for the affected farmers, he continued.

Weekly medical checkups are done in all the relief camps and 18,911 visits have been made so far with essential medicines being provided for the inmates.

Students in the relief camps have been provided free admission to government schools and colleges, and for those studying in private schools, the government has provided 50 per cent of the expenses.

Under the support for employment and livelihood programmes, the government has given priority to the inmates staying at the relief camps as they could not find suitable work, the chief minister said.

The government also initiated the Chief Minister’s Coaching Scheme for entrance exams to professional courses.