N Biren Singh Steps Down As Manipur CM: Timeline Of Ethnic Violence Leading To His Resignation

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his position on Sunday, submitting his resignation letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal.

N Biren Singh Steps Down

In his resignation letter, Singh expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the people of Manipur and acknowledged the central government's support in safeguarding the state's interests.

"It has been an honor to serve the people of Manipur thus far. I am extremely grateful to the central government for its timely actions, interventions, and implementation of developmental projects aimed at protecting every single Manipuri," Singh wrote.

He urged the Centre to continue its focus on key issues, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Manipur's territorial integrity, which he described as having a "rich and diverse civilizational history spanning thousands of years."

The outgoing CM also called for the continuation of strict measures against border infiltration and urged the central government to formulate policies for the deportation of illegal immigrants. Additionally, he stressed the need for an ongoing fight against drug trafficking and narco-terrorism in the state.

Singh further requested that the revised Free Movement Regime (FMR) mechanism along the Indo-Myanmar border be implemented effectively, ensuring biometric verification and faster border control measures.

Since 2023, Manipur has witnessed a lot of violence which has forced him to finally step down from the position.

Here's a timeline of significant events:

April 2023

April 20: The Manipur High Court directs the state government to consider the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, setting a deadline of May 19 for recommendations to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry.

May 2023

May 3: The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) organizes a "Tribal Solidarity March" to protest the Meitei community's demand for ST status. Clashes erupt between tribal and non-tribal communities, leading to widespread violence, arson, and vandalism.

May 4: The state government imposes curfews in eight districts and suspends mobile internet services statewide. The army and Assam Rifles are deployed, and approximately 9,000 people are evacuated to safer locations.

May 5: The central government invokes Article 355, taking over the state's security apparatus. Encounters in Churachandpur district result in the deaths of five militants and injuries to two security personnel.

May 8: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh reports said 60 people have died, 231 are injured, and 1,700 houses, including religious places, have been destroyed.

June 2023

June 4: Congress MLA K. Ranjit's house is torched, along with numerous other abandoned houses in Kakching district.

June 14: The official residence of Nemcha Kipgen, the lone female minister in the Manipur government, is attacked and set ablaze.

July 2023

July 19: A video surfaces showing two Kuki women being paraded naked and one allegedly gang-raped by a mob, leading to nationwide outrage.

July 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the incident, calling it "shameful for any civil society." The Supreme Court takes cognizance, and Manipur police arrest four accused seen in the video.

August 2023

August 7: The Kuki People's Alliance withdraws support from the N. Biren Singh government.

September 23: The government orders the restoration of internet services in the state after a suspension lasting several months.

September 26: Photos of two missing Meitei students surface on social media, leading to renewed tensions and the reimposition of internet restrictions.

January 2024

January 24: A significant meeting is held at Kangla Fort, where the Meitei organization Arambai Tenggol summons all elected Meitei legislators to discuss the community's defense amid ongoing conflicts.

August 2024

August 11: The rise of unregulated vigilante armies in Manipur, pushing the state towards a potential civil war.

December 2024

December 20: Reports indicate that fighters from Myanmar's civil war have crossed into Manipur, exacerbating the ongoing ethnic conflict.

December 31: 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 live together in a peaceful and prosperous state.