Manipur CM Biren Singh Demands Unified Command Control Amid Escalating Violence

CM N Biren Singh also demanded the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations agreement with the Kuki insurgent group, a report in The Deccan Herald said.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh during an interview in Imphal.

Source : PTI

Amid the escalating violence, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and submitted a memorandum seeking control of the Unified Command, which oversees the security operations in the northeastern state.

The Unified Command is currently handled by a team of the Union Home Ministry officials, the state security and the Army. 

Biren Singh has also urged the Centre not to give in to the demand for a separate administration raised by Kuki Zo groups, news agency PTI quoted an official on the condition of anonymity.

The Chief Minister also demanded the abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Kuki insurgent group. The SoO pact was signed by the Centre, the Manipur government and two conglomerates of Kuki militant outfits – Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United People’s Front (UPF). 

The move is considered significant as the BJP is in power in both the state and the centre and reportedly points out to a tussle between the governments.

The Manipur CM had met Governor L Acharya along with more than 20 MLAs on Sunday morning and said that the Centre should ensure peace in Manipur and give adequate power to the elected state government. Singh reached the Raj Bhavan along with the MLAs at around 11 am, while the meeting lasted for about an hour.

The Chief Minister and the MLAs submitted a list of demands to the Governor. However, neither Raj Bhavan nor the chief minister shared the contents of the memorandum.

It further said that the demands included "adequate powers and responsibilities to the elected State government as per the Constitution by handing over Unified Command."

The chief minister had met the governor on Saturday night as well and briefed him about the situation. 

In the fresh bout of violence, nine Meiteis have been killed by Kuki insurgents since September 1. So far, the ethnic clashes in the violence-torn state has left over 200 people dead and internally displaced nearly 50,000 since May last year.