Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has welcomed the centre's decision to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar. Hailing the move as a historic decision, he took to his X account to share that he was immensely grateful to PM Modi and Amit Shah for their commitment to securing the country's border.
He said that the decision was crucial to ensure the internal security and democratic integrity of India's North Eastern states.
"This is yet another historic decision in curbing illegal immigration and strengthening our internal security after the recent announcement to fence the 1643 Km Indo-Myanmar border by the Government of India," his post read.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to scrap the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar in a bid to ensure internal security of India and to maintain the demographic structure of the northeastern states of India bordering Myanmar.
Taking to microblogging site X, Home Minister Shah wrote, “It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to secure our borders. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that the Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar be scrapped to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of India’s North Eastern States bordering Myanmar.”
The Union Home Minister additionally stated that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is currently in the process of discontinuing the FMR between India and Myanmar and the MHA has proposed its immediate suspension.
While Manipur has consistently advocated for the abolition of the FMR, the Mizoram government and various civil organizations in the northeastern hill state have opposed the fencing of the Indo-Myanmar border, arguing that it would segregate ethnic communities in both countries.