Illegal migrants, drug mafia hit by BJP govt: Manipur CM
In an interview in Imphal, CM N. Biren Singh struck a defiant note, saying he was being targeted because he stopped the drug trade.
For 18 months now, Nongthombam Biren Singh, 63, has continued to govern a state in the grips of an internecine ethnic conflict, surviving demands for his ouster as chief minister, from the Opposition, and also from members of his own party. In an interview in Imphal days after the latest spike in violence in the state, in which militants killed six women and children, he struck a defiant note, and said he was being targeted because he stopped the drug trade. Edited excerpts
Your critics have demanded President’s rule as the first step to restore normalcy in the state?
The current government in Manipur has the mandate of the people. The government is working towards restoring peace but vested interests, including opposition, drug mafia, and illegal migrants do not want us here. The opposition thinks it has a chance to come back to power and are thus demanding President’s rule. There are illegal refugees and drug mafia, who have been affected by the BJP government’s work on protecting our nation’s interests. They do not want normalcy here. The state government along with Centre will find these mischief mongers, terrorists... and bring normalcy.
But the Kuki-Zo tribal people of Manipur say you are not their CM? That you do not represent them
I am the elected chief minister of Manipur and represent all indigenous people of the state. Their local legislators too are members of the house, of which I am the leader. I am here to protect them but I will act tough against illegal migrants from outside who are fanning the violence. I am not the CM of illegal migrants. I am not the CM of those who bring drugs into India, which later goes to the interior parts of the country. The main reason I am targeted by certain people is because I have stopped the flow of drugs and got central agencies to burn fields that give rise to drug money.
Many believe your government is unstable. The NPP is no longer your ally. Some of your party MLAs did not attend the meeting you called earlier this week
Our government is stable and we have the requisite number. More than half the MLAs attended the meeting. We have the required numbers. But this is not the time to talk about numbers. Some may have left when we are going through this phase but we will come out of this stronger. This is not the time for politics. I held that meeting to find measures to save our people and take feedback from the elected representatives.
What is the Centre doing on the Manipur situation?
Let me assure you that the Centre is monitoring the situation in Manipur round the clock. The people in New Delhi are updated 24*7. There is only one aim- restore normalcy and peace in Manipur. I cannot say a lot of things related to the operations here. Look at how swiftly the government sent over 70 companies paramilitary forces to Manipur to prevent lives of innocents from being taken. This is just one example. The Centre has also started a dialogue with all legislators to bring peace. It is up to everyone to attend meetings and work towards restoring normalcy.
The opposition says you should take responsibility for the killing of women and children in the state?
As a CM I bear responsibility-- good, bad and ugly -- for everything in Manipur. Manipur was relatively peaceful but the sudden horrific killings of the innocent women and children has shocked people and fanned tension. But I want to assure you that the guilty will be punished. The Centre has transferred cases to the NIA. Sooner or later, each person will be taken out and dealt under the law. As a footballer in BSF, I was a defender. I will continue to defend whatever is thrown at me by my critics.
But Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribal groups allege that Arambai Tenggol gunmen killed a Hmar woman first in Jiribam?
Irrespective of the ethnicity, I condemn the killing of every woman and child. The central agencies are probing the matter. Whoever is behind this will be dealt with under the law.
What about Meitei people protesting against the killings and attacking houses of MLAs -- how will you deal with that?
There are two things here. People were shocked on seeing the horrific photos of women and children who were killed by Kuki militants. There was a genuine outpouring of grief. People got emotional and angry at the manner in which the children as young as eight months were killed. So they came out on to the streets. At many places when locals gathered, my MLAs told them about the government’s hard stand on this. The protesters were assured and left. Then there is the second group of miscreants who hijacked the protest. At many places, there were miscreants and politically motivated people who stole rice bags and money from house of our MLAs. We have identified them. Action will be taken.
Why has violence festered for so long in the state and what is the solution?
The violence is there because there are many interest groups who have been hit hard by the work of our government. The drug mafia, illegal migrants want this to go on because they know before the violence Biren Singh was hitting their illegal operations. We were the first ones to get biometric details of the people. When people in other states such as Jharkhand talk about illegal migrants from Bangladesh, the national media takes notice but when I talk about it, it is not highlighted. I am being targeted because our government has cut off one of the main drug routes of the Golden Triangle and stopped illegal entry into Manipur.
The Kuki-Hmar tribals groups have said that the 10 men who died in a clash with CRPF were village defence volunteers not militants?
They are lying. Don’t they fear god? I won’t comment on the ongoing investigation but do village volunteers have access to AK series rifles and RPG launchers. Who is behind the attack? Who is providing them RPG launchers? Do volunteers attack security forces. If the CRPF was not there in Jiribam that day, countless lives would have been lost. These militants travelled from Churachandpur to Jiribam just because they knew there were 115 Meitei IDPs (internally displaced persons; refugees) there.
What about the fact that Kuki-Zo MLAs refuse to attend the peace talks?
Dialogue is the only way forward. Everyone must come together for Manipur. Yesterday, those MLAs issued a statement about the need for political dialogue .Centre is already holding the peace talks. They should attend it for Manipur’s sake.
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