NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh, voiced his disagreement with a now-deleted post on X made by senior party leader P Chidambaram regarding the ongoing crisis in Manipur. The post, which was later deleted, sparked controversy due to its critical stance on the state’s leadership and its discussion of regional autonomy for the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ibobi Singh revealed that he had personally spoken with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge after seeing the post, expressing concerns that the statement, although Chidambaram’s personal opinion, could lead to widespread misunderstanding in Manipur.
“I immediately informed the party leadership, and I spoke to Mallikarjun Kharge. I emphasised that while this may be Chidambaram’s personal view, it has the potential to cause a lot of misunderstanding in the state,” Ibobi Singh said. Following this intervention, the post was deleted by the Congress leadership.
The social media statement in question had criticised Manipur CM Biren Singh and suggested that the Meitei, Kuki-Zo, and Naga communities could only coexist in the same state if they were granted regional autonomy. Chidambaram’s remarks also included a demand for the immediate removal of CM Biren Singh, whom he blamed for the escalating crisis in the state. The situation has been further complicated by ongoing tensions and violence, including the recent killing of six innocent people, including women and children.
Chidambaram had also raised concerns over the deployment of additional central armed police personnel in Manipur, calling for a more thoughtful and humane approach to the crisis. He criticized the central government for rushing in 5,000 more armed police officers, suggesting that the solution lay not in military reinforcement but in addressing the leadership issue at the state level.
“Rushing 5,000 more central armed police jawans is not the answer to the Manipur crisis,” Chidambaram had written in his post. “It is more wisdom: acknowledging that Mr. Biren Singh, the Chief Minister, is the cause of the crisis and removing him immediately. It is more understanding: that the Meitei, the Kuki-Zo, and the Naga can live together in one state only if they have genuine regional autonomy. It is more statesmanship: for the Hon’ble PM to give up his obstinacy, visit Manipur, and speak to the people of Manipur with humility and learn first-hand their grievances and aspirations.”
The controversy comes amid a period of unrest in Manipur, where tensions between various communities have resulted in violent clashes and casualties.
The ethnic conflict in Manipur between Meitei and Kuki-Zo groups has intensified, claiming more than 220 lives since the previous year. The opposition Congress party has demanded Home Minister Shah step down, holding both him and the state’s chief minister accountable for the deteriorating situation. Following the Manipur Assembly’s recent resolution, there are calls for extensive action against Kuki militant groups and a reassessment of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The authorities have further extended the internet restrictions in several districts until November 20, reflecting the persistent instability in the area.