Shillong/Imphal: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday termed former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh “dragging” his father P A Sangma’s name into the political discourse over Manipur’s crisis as “unfortunate” and said at this time, everyone’s efforts should be towards the restoration of peace and harmony in Manipur and not indulge in “political posturing”.
Reacting to Biren Singh’s post on X earlier on Monday, Conrad Sangma wrote, “It’s unfortunate that N. Biren Singhji has dragged the name of (L) P. A. Sangmaji. Sangmaji always fought for the people of the Northeast. He was a strong advocate for different issues and the rights of the people of the Northeast. At this time, everyone’s efforts should be towards the restoration of peace and harmony in Manipur and not indulge in political posturing.”
He further appealed for unity, stating, “We all have to work together. I once again appeal to everyone to work for the betterment of the people of Manipur. This is what (L) P.A. Sangma ji would have wanted.”
Biren Singh, in his post, alleged P A Sangma had once advocated the “dangerous idea” of dividing the Northeast into smaller states along ethnic lines, claiming that similar efforts were now being made to interfere in Manipur’s internal affairs to destabilise the state.
Singh also linked the ongoing crisis in Manipur to external influences, asserting that the violence was “not spontaneous but instigated by those who feel threatened and insecure by the progress made in safeguarding indigenous communities.”
He further pointed to Manipur’s steps toward securing its borders, such as the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and stricter regulation of the Free Movement Regime (FMR). “After years of effort to safeguard indigenous populations, we have begun to make real progress, such as the implementation of ILP, a hard-won achievement,” Singh stated, addressing Conrad Sangma in his post.
The exchange comes against the backdrop of deepening political friction between the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur.
On November 17, 2024, the NPP, led by Conrad Sangma, withdrew support from the BJP-led government in Manipur, citing the Biren Singh administration’s failure to restore normalcy amid prolonged ethnic violence. However, this withdrawal did not destabilise the BJP government, which continued with the support of 37 MLAs, along with legislators from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and three Independents.
Manipur has been embroiled in ethnic strife for over 23 months, culminating in President’s Rule being imposed on February 13, 2025, following Biren Singh’s resignation as chief minister on February 9. The prolonged crisis had already led to political realignments, including the passing of NPP’s Manipur unit president and MLA N. Kayisii on January 18, leaving the party with six legislators in the state assembly.
Biren Singh also accused the the UPA government of rejecting the state’s demand for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and showing blatant disregard for Manipur’s aspirations. He accused Congress of lacking empathy and failing to recognise Manipur’s unique history and identity. On the contrary, he said that the BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, respected Manipur’s sentiments and gave Manipur the ILP, a constitutional safeguard in 2019, fulfilling a decades old demand.