Mon Feb 10 05:49:26 UTC 2025: ## Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh Resigns Amidst Ethnic Violence

**Imphal, India** – Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned on Sunday, culminating months of pressure from the opposition amidst a protracted ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities. While Singh consistently claimed efforts to restore peace, his resignation followed a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.

Governor Anjai Kumar Bhalla has accepted Singh’s resignation, simultaneously cancelling the upcoming budget session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. This session was to include a no-confidence motion against Singh’s government by the Congress party.

The BJP is yet to name Singh’s successor, with state BJP chief Sharada Devi stating the decision is pending. She lauded Singh’s efforts towards Manipur’s development since 2017, characterizing his resignation as a demonstration of his commitment to protecting the state’s integrity.

Sources suggest that Singh’s resignation was preemptive, aiming to avoid a potential floor test where he might have lost his majority. Reports indicate that as many as 12 BJP MLAs had been pushing for his resignation since the May 2023 eruption of violence, coupled with the withdrawal of support from the National Peoples Party.

The resignation has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress party. Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Modi and the BJP of enabling Singh’s actions and allowing violence to fester for nearly two years. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed this sentiment, stating that Singh was merely a puppet and called for Home Minister Shah’s resignation. He also questioned Prime Minister Modi’s absence from Manipur for over 20 months.

The conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which began in May 2023, stems from deep-seated grievances. The Meitei community, comprising 53% of the population but concentrated in a smaller land area, has long sought Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, a move opposed by the Kuki community. This desire for ST status is linked to the Meitei’s wish to acquire land in Kuki-dominated hill areas. The conflict further escalated after a series of government actions, including the eviction of villagers from a forest reserve and the termination of a suspension of operations agreement with Kuki insurgent groups. The resulting violence has claimed at least 250 lives and displaced thousands.

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