Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues and other ruling party members, met with Governor Lakshman Achary at Raj Bhavan on Sunday. While no official statement was released by the CM Secretariat, sources familiar with the matter revealed that the Chief Minister submitted a memorandum to the Governor, requesting the Centre to transfer the Unified Command’s role to the State government.
This meeting occurred amid a surge in violence across Manipur over the past week, which claimed eight lives and left over a dozen people injured following a brief period of calm. Earlier, the Chief Minister held multiple meetings with senior ministers and other supporters to address the escalating violence in the state.
There were rumors and speculations that the Chief Minister was considering submitting his resignation to the Governor, amid reports that the Modi-led Central government was contemplating imposing suspended animation in Manipur. However, these speculations were dismissed, though concerns remain among the public, urging innovative solutions to the ongoing crisis.
Local media reported that the political maneuvers occurred against a backdrop of growing public dissatisfaction with how both the state and central governments have handled the crisis. The recent escalation in violence, which has included the use of advanced weaponry like drones and rocket bombs, has intensified unrest, leading to widespread frustration over the perceived inaction of authorities.
On September 1, for the first time in the year-and-a-half of ongoing violence in Manipur, a woman from Phayeng Mayai Leikai was killed when Kuki militants dropped bombs using drones. Additionally, on Friday, a senior citizen was killed when Kuki militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade from the western hill range, striking a house in Moirang, under Bishnupur district. In a separate incident, six people, including a civilian, were killed in Jiribam after a brief period of relative peace.
